Naruto Retold: Lost Child
by SnazzyJon
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki was the unluckiest kid ever. No friends, no family, no talent. His village hated him for reasons he never understood. All that changed when he fell for a lousy prank, and went searching for friendship in a place he never should have gone. Follow him as he finds new friends, new family, talent, and a new home. In Otogakure. NaruTayu sound!Naruto smart(er)!Naruto
1. Chapter 1

**Howdy! Welcome to Naruto Retold: Lost Child. First story on here and, admittedly, first time writing in a long while, so please be gentle senpai! ^.^;;**

 **This story begins right in the middle of filler, although I don't typically like following filler normally so it'll also be one of the only times filler comes in to play. If there's any particular filler you absolutely positively MUST have added in, just let me know and I'll see if I can't squeeze that particular filler and its associated characters into the plot somehow. I love adapting so it's literally no problem. ALSO! I doubt I'll be writing 10,000 word chapters for the whole thing. It may happen from time to time, but only if I've got so much I wanna' cram in there like with this one.**

 **Without further ado! Enjoy~!**

* * *

 **Chapter I**

 **Lost And Found**

"Help! I need help!" A boy with dirty, blond hair cried, his words falling on deaf ears. Kunai, small knife sized blades designed for throwing as much as cutting, whizzed passed his ears, embedded in thick trees, and crashed in green shrubs as he ran. He didn't dare look back, and he wasn't skilled enough to attempt to dodge, so it was an immeasurable amount of luck that he hadn't been hit at all. _'What the hell... It's just a stupid knife!'_ He thought of the blade he clutched in his hand, _'What's so important they'd kill me for it?!'_

He briskly ran, curving around a tree with the hope it would provide some cover from the death raining down on him. It was his own misfortune that his orange and blue jacket would catch on a branch jutting out from the trunk and slowing his path. It caused him to trip and stumble, but he had just enough sense to scramble back to his feet and continue on. He had to. The three women chasing him had every intention of murdering him where he stood if they so much as caught him for an instant. He was exceptionally good at running, years of pulling pranks and fleeing the wrath of whoever he'd wronged, including his teacher, had ingrained the skill into him. But that was from people who, while angry, weren't going to actually harm him. These people... They wanted to end him.

How had it come to this? All he wanted was to make some friends. Those boys back in the village promised him they'd let him into their clique so long as he recovered something from this forest. You see, it had been the site of a battle recently, and corpses of the slain littered it. Or so it was made out to be. When he'd arrived he'd found plenty signs of battle, scorched and muddied earth to pieces of torn clothes and even spots of blood, but he'd yet to find any actual bodies. Even the kunai he now held he'd only found by luck, while scavenging a bird's nest for a quick bite to eat. Once he'd found it, he'd only had a scant few moments to celebrate when three strangers dressed in armor he didn't recognize appeared and demanded he hand the weapon over. He was stupid enough to refuse and, well...

Where even was the village? He'd long been disoriented, and could no longer tell if he was running towards his home or away from it. His only concern was getting away, and he was not succeeding. The ninja chasing him did not seem to be gaining, although it'd been some time since he'd had the courage to look back at them, but the endless barrage of kunai and shuriken being thrown his way told him they weren't losing him either. No matter how many twists and turns he took, they kept on his tail. No matter how much he called for help, no one answered. No matter how long he ran, there was no sign of respite. _'Am I really gonna' die here?!'_

"Naruto!" A voice called, and he whipped his head around towards the direction. He recognized that voice, but it came from so far away! Naruto skipped a step and skidded to a halt, shifting his direction and momentum entirely towards his one chance of safety.

"Iruka-sensei! I'm HERE!" He called back as loudly as he could. If he could just link up with his teacher then everything would be okay! They'd both be able to get out of there and back to the village, and the hostile kunoichi wouldn't be able to follow. ...Right? Iruka was a shinobi as well... But could he really take on three others on his own? Could he get away from them? What if he couldn't? What if they'd both end up getting killed? Naruto faltered in his step, furrowed his brow and grit his teeth. This was a mistake. He didn't want to get Iruka killed too, as much as he wanted himself to be saved. _'What should I do... What should I do...?!'_

A sharp blade passing right before his eyes made the decision for him. Naruto recoiled back, his feet flipped out in front of him, and his head smashed against the ground. He gasped in pain but rolled back to his feet, choosing then and there to flee not towards Iruka's voice, but away from the dangerous weapons being sent his way. He hoped Iruka would notice and either meet up with him ahead, or ambush the other kunoichi while they weren't expecting it. In either case, he needed to get away and put some distance between him and them. It was a miracle they hadn't caught him already. The trees offered enough cover for a moment, but the instant he stopped moving it would be all over.

So he ran, as fast as his legs would take him. ' _Just keep going!'_ He urged, praying his legs wouldn't give out on him. The whistle as his pursuers blades pierced the wind breezed passed his ears time after time, and on each occasion Naruto winced. He felt as if he'd be pegged in the back any moment. He was extremely thankful he hadn't stumbled across any open areas and there had been plenty of cover up until now. He'd been able to dance in and out of the trees, using their thick trunks to his advantage, but if for even a moment he ran into a clearing, it would be all over. The fear was made worse because he wasn't at all familiar with the surrounding area. He'd never been to this area of the forest before. Ideally he'd notice a field before he ever stepped foot in it, but he'd had worse luck...

"Whoa!" He shouted as he barely avoided tripping over a rope stretched across the ground. "What the-?" His eyes traced the rope for a moment. It led up into the treetop canopy, and he just barely could see a massive log hidden in the leaves. _'Perfect!'_ He grinned, and dived head first into a nearby thick shrub. Now he just needed a way to distract them enough that they wouldn't notice the trap. He could have created a decoy with the shrubbery that surrounded him, but there was no time. Maybe he could find something to throw? They may be shinobi but they weren't so good that they could hit a moving target... Would they fall for that? The three appeared through the shadow of the trees, walking now instead of running. He'd lost them momentarily, but they knew he was here.

He held his breath, fearful that if he so much as exhaled they would notice him and he'd be completely out of time. They were so close to the rope too... If they weren't distracted soon they'd notice the trap. He had to do something, but what? Wait, wait - no, he knew what he could do. His blue eyes narrowed from fear to determination, and he grit his teeth. They were after him. They were after the knife, for some stupid reason he didn't even know. So, if they saw him running, they would continue to give chase. They would have to. With any luck, and his luck had been pretty back and forth all day, they would become so focused on running after him they would completely look over the trap and trip it.

 _'Okay... Three, two, one, and... GO!'_ He dashed free of his hiding spot, taking care to sprint out in front of them and break directly away from them.

"There you are!" The lead of the three said, her voice laced with anger, and they gave chase just as he hoped. One step, he felt a kunai graze his shoulder. Second step, he ducked down and shielded his head as shuriken passed right over him. Third step, a kunai embedded in a nearby tree just as he ran by. Fourth step... "Watch out!"

Naruto glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the three kunoichi dive for the ground as a massive log swung over them. Then, a large net popped up from the ground and held them high in the air, struggling and flailing. Naruto skidded to a stop for a moment and stared up in awe. He'd actually failed to notice the second trap right under the first, and it was sheer luck he'd failed to trigger it on himself. He laughed, and continued running. He had to meet back up with Iruka. Speaking of, he hadn't heard from him in a while. "Sensei!" He called, and listened, but there was nothing. Still he ran, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the kunoichi freed themselves. This wasn't the village. He could afford to be caught after a prank there. He had to keep moving.

He skipped over a stream he hadn't seen before, but paid it no mind. "Iruka-sensei!" He called again, and still there was nothing. He wondered if Iruka forgot about him, or had lost the trail. What if he had? Naruto shook his head, he couldn't think about that. At some point, he realized he was hearing running water in the distance. That was very odd, since as far as he knew there weren't many fast flowing rivers near Konoha, and he shouldn't have been anywhere close to one. Had he gone that far away from the village? His feet came to a stop just outside a tree line. Sure enough, a wide and strong river cut a path right through the forest, trees and bushes flanking the very edge of the water on both sides. It was a deep and clear blue, without any sign of life swimming underneath. Looking back and forth, Naruto saw that the river twisted towards him on both ends. "Guess I need to go back..." He thought aloud, and turned on a heel before-

"Got you, brat." Naruto gasped as he came face to face with one of the shinobi he'd desperately tried to evade. How'd they catch up to him so soon? How did they even track him here?! The shaken blond took a step back, his heel slipping off the edge and touching the rushing, cold water. He was flanked on both sides by the other two, and one stood right in front of him. There was no escape. "No more running. It's the end." The one in front glared at him, weapon at the ready. She was going to kill him, then and there. Was it really going to end like this? There had to be a way out! Panicked, he glanced behind him at the river. Was that the only way? The woman took a step towards him, kunai held menacingly at her side. It was the water or a one way trip to heaven or hell. He wasn't ready for the latter.

He gripped the kunai in his hand. "You want the stupid thing so bad?! Fine! TAKE IT!" Naruto shouted, and threw it directly at the woman. She was surprised and took a moment to catch it - an all too brief moment Naruto took to fall backwards into the water. He would never know what would become of the kunoichi after. The river was much stronger than he thought, as he barreled and twisted and turned and spun all around, unable to control himself as he was carried forcefully downstream. "Ah!" He gasped for breath whenever he could, often for merely a second before his head would be pulled back under. He couldn't see, the world spun around him, and his stomach lurched with every knock of force.

When would it end? Naruto collided with the rocky edge and bottom several times, more than once almost losing consciousness altogether. He couldn't tell that the river was getting wider, and stronger, as more streams intersected with and joined it as it went. He collided with a large stone hugging the river's edge, which sent him spiraling ever harsher, and then out of the blue he felt himself torn from the water. It took him several moments to realize he was falling. The river collapsed into a waterfall, and he'd been thrown right into it. It was the first of many. Naruto landed in another pool of water, beat and buffered as he was thrown, only to fall off the side of yet another. The impact stunned him, his consciousness fading to black only to come back just as he was thrown off another edge. A sharp pain wracked his side as he careened and smashed into a larger lake at the bottom.

At another time, a dip in the cool and calm waters of the lake would be wonderful, but at present Naruto's body ached far too much to enjoy it. He had just enough sense to break for the surface before he drowned. He coughed and sputtered, and took several deep breaths of air he'd been so desperate for prior. It was time for a rest. He couldn't decide if he was lucky or unlucky. On the one hand, he couldn't believe he'd survived as long as he had. On the other, every last thing that had happened in the last twenty-four hours would never have happened to anyone else. Of course, even that was his own fault. But how could he have known the forest those kids had sent him to would still have enemies in it? How could he have known the kunai he'd found was apparently so valuable? Sure, Iruka-sensei had tried to bring him back to the village before he'd ever gone too far, but...

Naruto sighed, as he floated on the lake's surface. Where was he now? He lifted his eyes up towards the tip of the waterfall, watching the bright blue,foamy waves cascading over the mountain ridge high above. It was quite the drop. He'd never realized there was anything like this outside the village. The thick forest stood like a wall over the rocky outcrop which hugged the mountain's edge. The lake itself was wrapped around by a thinner woodland than what was above, the leaves bearing a lighter shade of green. There were fish below the water, they swam here and there but generally stayed farther away than he could reach. A growl rumbled in his stomach, reminding Naruto that he never did have lunch. At least it was peaceful here.

Deciding he'd had enough time to rest, Naruto swam for the shore. It wasn't until he climbed out of the water that he noticed several spots on his skin that stung harshly, and that blood dripped from open wounds torn by the many, many times he'd been struck. He wasn't worried, though. He'd gotten himself hurt worse than this on many occasions and always turned out fine. He was far more occupied with how hungry he was. Unfortunately he never had to fish before, so while there was an abundant amount of food swimming literally right in front of him, he had to figure out how to actually catch them. So, what now? He figured he could try to catch them by hand if they swam close enough to the lakeside, or he could try to make a longer stick and spear them. _'Or'_ , he thought, as he watched larger cormorant dive under the water and emerge moments later with its beak tight around its prey, _'I could just let the birds catch them for me.'_

There were many smaller stones wedged in the dirt, both by the water's edge and further into the woodland. Naruto collected a handful of those stones into a pile, and then he waited. There were many of the charcoal birds perched on a rock jutting out from the ground by the water's border, their wings spread as if they were watchful guardians, and many more still swimming on the lake itself. It would only be a matter of time before one spotted its dinner. So he sat, cross-legged, watching. It was a short while before anything changed. The wind was calm, a mere rustle through the forest trees. The water was still as a mirror of glass. Between the serene calmness and Naruto's own injuries and exhaustion, it was almost enough to lull him to sleep. He had just closed his eyes when there was a splash, and he opened them just in time to see one of the birds dive down below.

"Alright!" He cheered, as he stood and grabbed one of the stones off the ground. His hope was he could peg the bird as it flew over dry land, and he could rush over and grab the fish while the cormorant was stunned. That was his hope, but as he remained there, pebble in hand, waiting for the bird to emerge back to the air, he gradually grew impatient. The minutes went by, and still nothing. "Oh, come on..." He groaned, letting his guard drop. He was hungry, tired, hurting, and overall cranky. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a bird that could apparently breathe underwater. He was about to give up altogether and look for another means of finding food when, with the speed of a firework, the cormorant shot out of the water. A fish squirmed and wiggled in its sharp beak.

Excitedly and hurriedly Naruto prepared to throw his stone. He had plenty of ammunition, he only needed to hit his target at just the right moment; and then the goods were his for the taking. Or so he thought, before he saw the damn bird swallow its fish whole.

"WHA-?!" He shouted, dropping the stone. It landed on his toe. "Ouch!" The blond hobbled on one foot, catering to the other. And then he lost his balance and stumbled back into the water. "Gah!" At this point, he'd almost all but given up. Naruto was still hungry, still tired, now hurting even more, and his crankiness had evolved into downright frustration. "All because of that stupid kunai and those stupid jerks and that stupid village..." He grumbled as he dragged himself back out of the water. He'd just begun to ring out his shirt, for the second time, when an unfamiliar laughter reached his ears. He turned, to see a girl roughly his age relaxing up on a tree branch very near him. She was fair skinned with a black hat over long, flowing red hair. She wore a strange tunic Naruto had never seen before, with an equally mysterious emblem emblazoned on it. And, she was laughing at him.

"I've never seen anyone so clumsy." She stated flatly, after her chuckling subsided. For Naruto's part, he was equal parts frustrated and confused, at being what he felt as looked down on and where she'd ever came from in the first place, respectively. "The hell you've survived so long is beyond me."

"Who are you?" Naruto demanded with a pointed finger and a protruded lower lip, and a glare he felt could kill a man. Judging by the red-headed girl's smirk she didn't get that impression.

"Maybe you'll find out. Maybe you won't. Either way, you'll be coming with us, shorty." Her reply didn't exactly help with Naruto's confusion or frustration, and now, growing worry. He wasn't too keen to go with somebody he'd never seen before, let alone while being lost as he was. Besides, what gave her the right to tell him what to do? Naruto stomped a foot to the ground and folded his arms.

"Nuh-uh, I ain't going anywhere!" He shook his head for emphasis. It was either back to the village, or nowhere at all, and since he had no idea where the village was it seemed it was going to be the latter option for the moment. At least, that was his intent. But the girl didn't seem inclined to take that as an answer.

She sighed, a quirk in her brow. "The hard way, then? Fantastic. Oi, fatso! You're up." At her call, a man stepped out from the treeline. Or, well, Naruto thought he was a man. As for his face, he seemed young as well, but for the rest of him... He was huge. Standing several heads taller than Naruto, being much bulkier, and almost entirely bald except for a ginger mohawk at the top. He likewise was dressed in a very similar garb to the girl, with the same strange symbol emblazoned on his tunic.

"Rude as always, Tayuya." He sighed as he approached Naruto, who took several steps back defensively. There was no jumping into the river this time to escape. "This is gonna' hurt a bit." He 'kindly' informed, before clenching his fist, rearing back, and smashing a hard punch straight across Naruto's forehead. Naruto didn't even feel the blow, everything just faded to black.

* * *

When Naruto awoke, his first thought was to complain about his splitting headache. Once his eyes began to somewhat clear, his second was, _'Where the hell am I?'_ The room was dimly lit by torchlight, not from within the room, but from the hallway adjacent to it. There was nothing in the room, entirely made of stone, save for the thin, animal-skin mattress he laid on. The door was made of wood, with a window blocked by iron bars allowing for a look to the corridor just beyond; and that was where the only source of light came from. Naruto stumbled to his feet and made for the door. He tried the handle once, only to find it was locked.

"Hello?" He called, "Anybody there? What's going on?!" Panic started to encroach and destroy whatever semblance of logic remained. What was even going on? He struggled to remember; and recalled the girl in the tree, and the larger, bulkier one who attacked him. Had they brought him here? Where _was_ here? Why was it so cold? Naruto shivered, his body still ached, and he was still very hungry. He looked back around the room, but a second inspection revealed nothing different. Then, he looked back to the door and - a face greeted him at the window. "Gah!" Naruto fell back, landing roughly on his bum.

The one who opened the door was a tall man, with pale skin and ghostly white hair falling down to his shoulders. He was taller than the other two he'd seen, and the uniform he wore was, while similar, also different - his having a zipper, for one. Yet there was that same, strange emblem... Naruto stared at him for several long moments, unsure if he should say something, slink back to a corner and hide, or try to escape while the door was open. Before he could decide on anything, the man held up a picture. Within the picture was another being, with even paler skin, a creepy, slithery sort of smile, and slit-like eyes. "Do you know who this is?" He asked, his voice deep and strong.

"How should I know?" Naruto replied, more than a little frustrated. The man closed his eyes, and thought for a moment, before opening them once more.

"This is Orochimaru. As of today forward, he is your God." For some reason, his statement really riled Naruto. He glared, hard, at the man in front of him and clenched his fist.

"Like hell he is!" Naruto yelled, "If he's your boss then I want nothing to do with him!"

The mysterious individual was unfazed, put the picture away, and turned to leave. "You will remain here. Food will be delivered shortly. If you need to relieve yourself, any corner will suffice."

Then he left. Naruto was lost in disbelief. What had even happened? Any corner will suffice? What did that even mean? Naruto realized shortly what he meant, and resolved to hold it in as long as he could. He was left alone for what felt like hours, stomach grumbling, mind racing. How was he supposed to get out of this one? As if things weren't already bad enough as it was, now he was trapped in some prison under the watchful eyes of some nutty cult that wanted to indoctrinate him. It wouldn't work, of course. Naruto wasn't about to believe for an instant that whoever that creep was in the photograph was his 'god'. That said, he couldn't stay like this forever, and he also couldn't think of a way to get out.

Time went on even longer, before finally the door opened again. It was the same girl he'd saw, in the tree. She had a clay bowl of what looked like green stew in her hands. Silently, Tayuya put the bowl down in front of him, and turned to leave. "What do you freaks want with me?"

Tayuya paused, and glanced back over at him. "You that stupid? Kimimaro already told you what we want. It's easy for anybody who isn't a dipshit." Then, without another word, she left. So it was exactly as he'd thought. This group, whatever it was, wanted him to believe in their religion. He was actually captured by a cult and everybody at the village wouldn't even care. Naruto plopped down in defeat, uncaring of how hard the ground was. He glanced at the bowl but found his appetite had left him for the moment; and not even because the dish smelt like an angry skunk. Today had been nonstop downhill and it showed no sign of slowing down.

The day carried onward. There were no windows for Naruto to tell if it was still daylight or evening or late at night, but at some point he decided to attempt sleep. There was no padding, or even a pillow, so it was difficult to say the least. It felt like he'd just managed to fall asleep when he was awoken again by the door opening. He rubbed his groggy eyes and looked up to see Kimimaro again standing in the doorway. _'Oh great, here we go again._ '

Sure enough, he held up the same photograph, and asked the same question. "Do you know who this is?"

This time, Naruto had at least part of the answer. "Orochiburu. King of all that's ugly." The pale one didn't even grace him with a reply, he turned on a heel and closed to the door behind him. Naruto sighed and rested his chin on a hand. He had half a mind to go back to sleep, but his stomach growled and reminded him he'd failed to actually eat. He glanced at the bowl, still full of greenish stew but not smelling quite as bad. He had no spoon to eat it with, so he cautiously brought the dish to his lips. Sure enough, it tasted even worse than it smelled. He could barely take one gulp before having to fight the urge to throw it all back up again. Yet he needed to eat, so he resolved to finish it. It was only through sheer force of will he didn't vomit.

The second day came and went, this time without a visit from anyone bringing food or water. Naruto passed out from exhaustion, in spite of the discomfort and the smell of urine permeating the room.

He woke again to the same creaky noise of the door being forced open. His body ached from head to toe and he felt miserable. Still Kimimaro asked him the same question. Naruto didn't particularly have the energy to reply with snark, so he merely stated the obvious. "That's Orochimaru." The pale man stood there and stared, as if he was waiting for something. A minute later, Naruto finally broke, "What?" And as soon as he'd said that, Kimimaro turned and left just as he had before. It left Naruto utterly confused. He'd answered the question, what more did they want? Was there something else? The hours went by and still no one came with food or water. Were they going to starve him to death? He wracked his head for the answer, there had to be something he was missing. Oh, right! They wanted him to believe that this Orochimaru guy was his god, right?

Day three, Naruto was hungry, thirsty, and knew he wasn't going to get a good night's rest; but still he tried, confident he had the answer.

The next morning started the exact same as all the others, with Kimimaro standing in the doorway. He asked his question. This time, Naruto was ready. "Orochimaru. He's my god." The statement felt so wrong, and left a sour taste in his mouth. But there! He'd said it! Now, surely, they'd-

Kimimaro left without a word. _'What's wrong?! What am I supposed to say?!'_ He grasped his head. It pounded angrily, begging him for the proper food and care he needed. What more did they want? He acknowledged what was said, in the beginning. Did they expect him to prove it? How could he while being locked up in here? He felt tears well up in the back of his throat. He was starving, famished from lack of water, exhausted. It couldn't possibly get any worse than this, he thought, but knowing his luck he took back the statement almost immediately. If it could, it would, even if Naruto didn't know how. He lay on his skin padding and waited to inevitably black out.

Day four, he was losing hope. But as he slept, his dreams were haunted by a deep, inhuman growl.

Naruto was forced awake by a shove. His eyes stung and lips cracked. He rolled over to see the girl again, with a dish of clear water. He glanced up at her, uncertain for a moment if it was real or some delusion. "Hurry up and drink." She stated, an annoyed scowl directed towards him. He was quick to do so, downing the water in several quick gulps. The water burned his parched throat, yet was oh, so refreshing all the same. The dish was emptied all too quickly. He started to ask for more, but Tayuya interrupted him. "Drag your scrawny ass up, and follow me." His first attempt to do so met with failure. His legs were weak and trembled at the effort. All his energy had left him. Still, he took a steady breath and pushed himself up onto his feet.

She led him down the hallway. It was slightly more well lit than his prison, yet still only illuminated by the flickering light of torches on the walls. Eventually she came to a larger door, which she opened, and it revealed a larger room filled with tables and all the food Naruto could ever want. It reminded him of the cafeteria back at the academy. Men and women young and old ate and drank without a care. Four large statues in the image of large snakes flanked the corners of the room, like watchful sentinels - or hunting predators. Tayuya closed the door in front of him just as he was tempted to enter. "It's not that hard. All you gotta' do is make the right choice and this is all yours."

"I already said what you wanted, didn't I?" Naruto replied, his voice rising.

She scowled hard at him, stepping between him and the large, wooden double doors. "You said it. That's all."

"What more do you want?!" His strength was coming back. They were taunting him with what he could have, throwing it towards him only to pull it just beyond his reach. They were telling him he couldn't get it unless he did _something,_ and that something was entirely unknown to him. He was getting angry. "How long do I have to sit in my own piss for you guys to be happy?!"

"Fucking hell, you're slow." She snapped back, as she bopped a finger against his forehead. "You'll sit as long as it takes for your ugly mug to tune in. Be thankful that's all you're getting. Most are beaten, experimented on, forced to kill. All you gotta' put up with is answering a stupid question. So count your blessings, shut up, and answer the god damn question so I don't have to put up with this bullshit anymore!"

"I don't know what you want me to do!" He took a step forward, and grit his teeth. He was getting more and more frustrated, confused. He knew full well what they _wanted_ , but what he couldn't understand was how he was supposed to prove it. They wanted him to believe in someone he'd never met, someone he had no reason to treat as anything more than a stranger. But how could he prove that when he was given no way of doing so?

"Not my problem blondie." She gave him a shove back towards where his cell was. Tayuya was considerably stronger than she appeared. "You'll know when you find the answer. Until then, you get to stay in your cage." Naruto wasn't normally one to take something lying down, but the last several days had left him feeling weak and tired. Even what energy he'd gained from getting frustrated had quickly diminished. Still, now that he was free, he did what he could to resist being thrown back in his prison. He tried to run, but Tayuya grabbed him and put him back in line. He even tried to attack her at one point. He turned on a heel and aimed a punch for her chin. But she was gone. Then, Naruto felt something hard smash against the back of his head, sending him careening into the wall.

It would be the last time he attempted fighting his way out before being tossed back into his room. What was worse, Tayuya didn't even bother scolding him. She just dragged him, nearly unconscious, threw him in, and left. Initially he remained where he lay, staring up at the empty, stone ceiling above him. He would know? How would he know? The more he thought about it the more confused he became. Was there some sort of secret code he was supposed to know, like the scrolls in grandfather Hokage's study he was forbidden from reading? Should he pray? There wasn't a shrine to worship...

Naruto's stomach hurt. He needed food, badly; and what little water he'd drank only subsided his thirst for sparingly few moments. While the wounds he'd sustained from his unwitting swim had healed, still his bones and muscles screamed in pain. His ability to think straight worsened by the day. Still time passed, day after day he'd receive so little food and water, and time after time they'd ask him the same question. Over and over and over and over. Who is this? His reply began to be ingrained in his skull to the point he'd say it without thinking. It came to a point where it was the only thing he truly thought about.

His dreams offered him no comfort. On some nights he would return to the village, overlooking the high walls and busy streets from on top of the Hokage Monument. Inevitably, he was torn away, fleeing from the horrible, cold stares of Konoha's citizens. On other nights, he would be flying high in the sky, free of all worries or care. Those would end with a massive snake catching him in its poisoned fangs and dragging him, thrashing, to the ground. Still other nights he would find himself locked in a room, surrounded by nothing but portraits of Orochimaru. Then, there was the dream that changed everything.

The reverberating sound of dripping water touched his ears, dragging him from his restless slumber. When he at last came to his senses, it dawned on him that he was not where he was supposed to be. Bland, lifeless stone walls were replaced by cold metallic ones. On one side there was a river of mucky, brown water, another platform flanked the opposite side. Silent pipes adorned the walls, cutting in and out, some flowing into the ceiling, others dropping down through the floor. The drip originated from those. There must have been water inside. Naruto weakly rose to his feet, dizzy and weak as he was. There were no torches, but the corridor was filled with an eerie, pale light.

"Hello?" Naruto called, his voice echoing down the path, "Anybody there?" Silence followed, and left a chill down his spine. But, he did notice one thing: The light seemed to be originating from a turn in the tunnel up ahead. So he walked towards it, each footstep drawing a flinch as it reverberated again and again. One path led to another, and another still, as he continued to follow the light. After a time, he found himself in a much larger chamber, with a huge gate locked before him. The water had risen, coming up just above his ankles. The cage, he assumed it was a cage, was locked not by a key, but by what appeared to be some sort of paper with strange kanji written with ink. The other side of the gate was entirely black, as if a shroud covered whatever was within.

"What the hell is this place...?" He was in awe. Had he been sleep walking? How had he gotten out of his cell?

 **"Took you long enough."** A deep voice rumbled, from the other side. Naruto stood back, eyes wide as he gaped up towards the gate. Two large, red, eyes with slit pupils stared down on him. Hot steam blew out from between a large, gaping mouth of fanged teeth. **"Well, boy? You have questions, ask them."**

"Wha-" He started, finding it difficult to form the words. A combination of exhaustion and fear made it far more difficult to think than he'd ever experienced. "What are you?" The creature answered first with a menacing growl that shook Naruto to his core.

 **"Hmph. Right. They kept that from you for all those years, the old fools."** It stared, unblinking, as it spoke. It's voice was that of a human's... Yet clearly held more power than any normal person could ever have. A guttural rumble followed each word, destroying any doubt Naruto had that he spoke to anything but a beast. **"I am the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Kyuubi. I alone brought your precious village to heel, years ago. But I was defeated, and sealed inside a child."**

"A... Child?" Naruto asked, still frightened and trembling. "Wait..."

 **"You're it."** The Kyuubi told him, answering what he'd already come to guess. **"Years ago, I was sealed inside puny, little you, to keep Konohagakure, and the world, safe. I was content to sleep for the next year or so, but your stupidity and bad luck has forced me to wake prematurely."**

"Wait, wait, wait... Slow down a sec." The blond interrupted, "You mean you, this monster that had the power to destroy a village, was sealed in... me? How? W-Why?"

The beast paused for a moment. It seemed as if it considered something, before replying. **"The how, is thanks only to the power of your Fourth Hokage. His ability was... Commendable. I wasted so much chakra trying to pin him down, and he still had enough strength to seal me away. Albeit at a heavy cost..."** It took another pause, and to Naruto it almost seemed pleased with itself. **"The why, will come later. It is not for you to know. Not yet. In time, that answer will become clear. But first, there is another matter we must attend to."**

"What's that?" Naruto questioned, all too confused by literally everything that was going on.

 **"You're dying, boy."** The beast stated flatly. Naruto gulped, and went cold. He certainly felt like he was dying, but to have it stated so plainly was an eye opener. **"Now, normally I wouldn't care. But I am sealed within you. Understand that should you perish I, too, shall be destroyed. This is an unacceptable fate and must be avoided. You are too weak to sustain the full force of my power, but a small fraction should suffice without causing _too_ much damage. With my strength at your back, you will have the power to break free of your confinement."**

"You can help me escape?" the boy asked, "Is that possible?"

 **"I _will_ help you escape."** The reply came as a roar, as if the Kyuubi was insulted Naruto questioned the possibility. **"But know this, the use of my power does not come freely. I will allow you this favor, but you owe me one in return..."**

A favor? He'd learned well enough that anyone asking for a favor in return of one probably didn't have the best of intentions. In what was likely the wisest choice he'd made all month, he asked, "What do you want from me?"

But then, the beast laughed. A harsh howl that blasted the chamber with heated air. **"What do _I_ want? That is quite simple, boy, and will become apparent very, very soon."** Before he could react, the water rose up around him like a swirling maelstrom. It was warmed by a bright orange glow, and Naruto could feel a tremendous power emanating from it. The vice-like grip pulled him towards the cage, and a truly giant claw stuck through the breaks in the metal. The boy snapped his eyes shut and braced for pain, but only felt a gentle tap on his forehead. He felt a power explode within him, as if a sun had been set ablaze.

His eyes flashed open, and he was back in his cell.

"How long do you think it'll take him to break?" Asked one man to another. They were both dressed in black undershirts and pants, with dark grey vests armed with kunai, shuriken, and other tools of the shinobi trade. Headbands adorned their heads, with a musical note emblazoned in the middle.

"Soon. Overhead Kimimaro talking with lord Orochimaru, said he expects the kid to be a loyal servant of Otogakure within the week." Replied the other, whose face was hidden by a dark grey cloak. He threw a thumb towards the door of the prison. "He's a stubborn one, but he'll bend just like all the other indoctrinates." They continued passed the door, but stopped when they both heard a loud slam.

"What the hell-?" They turned towards the door, in time to both hear another impact and see the door jar ever so slightly. A moment later, and it was blown open, flying off its hinges entirely, and an orange blur blasted into the opposite wall. The two were caught up in the plume of dust that filled the hall for the brief moment that it did. When it cleared, Naruto stood in front of them. But, something was wrong, so horribly wrong. The boy's features were contorted, his teeth like fangs, eyes blood red with slits for pupils. His whiskers protruded and vibrated. He stood with a slouch, arms hanging in front of him, fingers formed into sharpened claws. What was more, a clearly visible aura of orange chakra whipped and stirred around him, radiating a vibrant heat that filled the hall.

A single step. That was the only warning they received, before Naruto charged. His speed drew him passed them in an instant, and in that same period he cut through their sides with his bare hands. They collapsed to the ground without ever being allowed to defend themselves, blood pooling around them. Naruto let loose a violent, ear shattering roar that resonated throughout the entire tunnel facility.

"Oh hell." Tayuya grumbled, getting roused from her slumber by both the monstrous sound as well as the tremble that shook the room. She threw the thick grey blankets off, threw on her Otogakure garb, and grabbed a small silver flute from her dresser as quick as one could drink a glass of water. She raced out her room just as a handful of Otogakure shinobi ran by. "One of the freaks break out again?" It wouldn't have been the first time. Tayuya wished it happened more often during the day and not so early in the morning. _'I was sleeping dammit!'_

"No. It's Naruto." Jirobo emerged beside her from the corridor to her left. "He's gone into a rage. Kidomaru is already fighting him."

"That shrimp?" There was no way. He was _so_ weak and pathetic, he was causing this much of a stir? Kidomaru should be enough. Hell, just about any of the shinobi in the base should be enough. "Where are they?"

"Kidomaru's being pushed back towards Orochimaru's chamber." Another man rushed up towards them from one of the adjacent halls. He wasn't as tall as Jirobo, but taller than Tayuya, with paler skin and dark grey hair. A red bead necklace wrapped loosely around his neck, over a very similar tunic to hers and Jirobo's. He was Sakon, and he liked to think he was their leader. But he would always be under Kimimaro, and as far as Tayuya was concerned, the only reason she had to obey his orders were that he was stronger than she was. "We need to go. Now."

It didn't make any sense, he took minimal effort to overpower, was stupid as hell... Yet now he was pushing Kidomaru, of all people?

A clash of blades resonated down the hall. On the one side was Naruto, still wrapped in a blazing red cloak of chakra, face contorted in a fierce snarl. On the other, a tan skinned teen with six arms. They were surrounded by bodies, each and every one slain with gaping injuries, and stringy webbing hung from the ceiling. Kidomaru grunted, his body covered in a twisting tattoo. This was all wrong. The kid was way too strong. Naruto growled and pushed forward, launching Kidomaru off his feet. They both held golden bone-like blades. Both had been created by Kidomaru, but Naruto was quick to utilize one for himself. The six-armed Oto nin flipped backwards and landed on his heel, and he back-peddled further, wishing to get distance between himself and the beast he now fought.

As he fled, he spit a thick, brown liquid from his mouth, which he molded into the shape of a bow. He also prepared a thin, white string to complete the weapon. Then he started making arrows. Kidomaru prided himself on a versatile fighting style, being able to attack close and at range equally. Yet Naruto wasn't making it easy. His push was rapid, violent, and fast. Arrows were hastily made, just small golden, solidified spears. His first shot fired, blasting speedily down the hall. Naruto kicked off the wall out of the way, but his momentum was not slowed. Before Kidomaru could fire a second shot, the blond was already within melee range. He had to act quickly. An open clawed hand swiped for his head, which he ducked under, bent backwards, and aimed a close shot towards Naruto's chin. This was similarly avoided, and it flew high, digging deep into the stone ceiling. Naruto fell backwards, as if he played limbo all to dodge the silk bullet, and in doing so his foot swung upwards towards the six-armed man's side. Kidomaru only survived thanks to his extra limbs.

The impact sent him flying back. He was able to recover and land on his feet, and had just enough time to steady his aim for another arrow shot before he was forced to retreat again. Naruto bounced off the walls, every jump bringing him ever closer. "Shit, shit, shit!" Kidomaru launched several more projectiles, each speedily dodged one after the other. The blond was like a bullet himself, a blindingly fast object that ricocheted off everything he touched so long as it brought him closer. He roared and wailed against Kidomaru, a beastly hand smashing his skull and dragging him to the ground. The force shook the hall, and a sound like thunder resounded all around. Kidomaru winced and gasped in pain, and opened his eyes just as Naruto reared back a fist to bash his head in again. The boy's face was contorted in some twisted combination of rage and... "What?"

There was something else, buried deep in his crimson eyes.

There wasn't any time to reflect. He couldn't move, the curse mark which gave him power was being overwhelmed by the heavy chakra that blasted forth from Naruto's body. Instinctively Kidomaru shifted his head to the right as the fist barreled down on him. Luckily, Naruto was thrown off him just before the impact rang true. "About damn time! Player two's entered the game!"

His celebration wasn't answered. Jirobo charged towards Naruto, his bulky form like an elephant rushing forward. He aimed to clothesline the blond. But Naruto's speed was greater, as he threw himself upward at the ceiling and, in the same motion, pushed himself back down with every intention of landing a solid blow at Jirobo's back. But instead of connecting with the larger man, it instead was intercepted by a hand. Sakon emerged from Jirobo's back with a wicked grin, his body covered by black markings, like leeches on his skin. Naruto growled, a mix of frustration and anger, and brought his other hand down to attack the new arrival. He didn't recognize this one. It didn't matter. Instead of delivering his punch as he wanted however, a seemingly invisible kick to his side sent him careening back to the floor.

Naruto cartwheeled and landed on his feet, yet even with the beastly strength at his command, he failed to react to Jirobo's assault. A large fist forced him to the ground, and likely broke his nose in the process. The hit was enough to make him involuntarily bounce, pain wracking his face and back in equal measure. Then, Kidomaru appeared over him, another one of his arrows notched. He released, and the powerful and sharp dart penetrated his chest and pinned him to the ground. A howl of pain broke from Naruto's lips. But it didn't stop him. Instead, he grasped the arrow, broke it in half, and pushed himself back to his feet. It was as if he completely ignored the gaping hole, even with the blood that poured from it. No, worse than that, as they each saw the wound begin to stitch itself together before their eyes.

He readied himself to charge again. A melody came to his ears before he could. It was a sweet song, played by a flute, and it gave Naruto pause. Something about the tune calmed him. He turned and fixed his gaze at the musician. Tayuya stood back, expertly playing her instrument even as Naruto's demonic eyes stared back at her. The chakra that surrounded him waned, and some semblance of the boy before returned to him. It relaxed him. It helped take the burning away. He turned around to face her. As she continued to play, a tiredness overtook Naruto. His eyes grew heavy. But he didn't mind. The pain was going away. He was regaining control.

Then, a hand grabbed his head from behind, and he was pummeled into the ground.

Tayuya stopped playing, her eyes wide with rage. "Sakon! You fucking idiot!" She had him! It was almost so simple. While originally her intent was to use genjutsu to restrain him, she was the first to notice the change in Naruto when she started playing. The sound itself had almost been enough. But now - now it may have been ruined by a single moment of stupidity. Maybe they'd get lucky. Naruto seemed as if he was relaxing, so perhaps he'd been caught off guard enough that the attack incapacitated him? But then he shifted under Sakon's weight, and Tayuya knew it was far from over.

"Oh, shut up." Sakon grumbled, tightening his grip on Naruto's head. "It's already over." Kunai in hand, he reached to slice the back of Naruto's neck. But it wasn't over, was it? She could tell by the way he shifted. His fingers pressed against the metal plated ground, clawed nails screeching as if scratched against slate. The kunai drew closer, yet before Sakon could finish his path, the glowing orange energy radiating from Naruto sprung to life. A single blast of raw power sent Sakon back, and he slammed against the adjacent wall. Tayuya grimaced, her eyes shielded by a hand from the rising dust.

"Kidomaru! Web!" She shouted into the dust. If there was any chance of containing Naruto, it was when he couldn't see them.

"Got it!" He called back from the other side. Jirobo stood in front of him at guard. While Kidomaru didn't necessarily need protection in the typical setting, his brief pounding from the demon boy was all he'd needed. Even the power from Orochimaru's seal only helped him keep up. It was astounding how someone so weak on the surface could be hiding something so powerful. But that must have been why Orochimaru had his eye on him. Whatever it was, keeping the kid calm became mission number one from this day on.

The dust shifted - Jirobo braced instinctively for the attack he knew would come. Naruto's eyes were wide with a savage rage as he pounced. But Jirobo hesitated. There was something else there, in his eyes. A second too late, he swung, his fist passing just over the blond's head as he dipped low. Naruto pushed forward and delivered a powerful strike to Jirobo's chin, lifting the larger man off his feet if only slightly. Then, he leaped, spun, and shoved his foot deep into Jirobo's stomach. The hit sent Jirobo flying over Kidomaru's head. But it was all the time he needed. Exhaling like a dragon ready to spew fire, he shot a wide net of white webbing that covered the hallway entirely.

Naruto was caught midair, flailing and clawing as he fell backwards, unable to break free of the bindings. At least, not at first. Tayuya and Kidomaru watched on as the webbing literally melted off of him. "No way..." Kidomaru muttered. Nothing should have been able to melt his web. Orochimaru had put him through every test, every possible scenario. No amount of heat had ever done that. No amount of force had ever broken it. There had to have been something else. Naruto wasted no time in charging towards Kidomaru as soon as he was free. It had slowed him only momentarily. The three armed boy had just enough time to drop to the ground as Naruto flew over him, and as he did so he could feel a scorching energy radiate off of him. _'It wasn't like that before._ ' he thought, remembering an aura but no tangible feeling. Remembering a power but - nothing quite so _visible_.

He continued on a short ways, greatly overstepping his attack, before he skidded to a halt. His body slouched over, hands low to the ground. A thick, red cloak of bubbling chakra surrounded him, his body still visible within yet changing before their eyes. It formed a shape, two ears over his head and and large, swinging tail. Jirobo stood, groaning, as arrow-like symbols stretched over his body. "He's getting stronger."

"What the hell is he?!" Sakon snarled, a stream of blood flowing from his hairline. A twin of him stood at his side, otherwise unharmed, scowling at the beast across from them. Tayuya wasn't too surprised Ukon came out, despite him normally sleeping through just about everything. "That strength rivals Kimimaro's."

 _'No shit.'_ The redhead thought bitterly, eyeing Naruto cautiously. They could feel the heat from where they stood, despite being several paces away. A low growl rumbled from the blond's chest, white steam passing through his lips with every breath. He snarled, showing his inhuman fangs which they knew hadn't existed until he'd gone wild. Even from there, she could see the surging rage in his eyes and yet - was he trembling? Was it just an illusion of the fierce cloak that surrounded him, or were his eyes wide not with entire anger, but...

"Are you... Afraid?" She whispered, making note when his eyes flicked to her. He fell on all fours and tensed.

"Stand back." Jirobo instructed them, clasping his hands and preparing to utilize his jutsu. Would that even work? Jirobo had the strongest earth style among them, but would that hold Naruto back? She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. Her genjutsu should still work. Regardless of an individual's raw strength, they were nothing compared to her if their minds weren't up to task. She only worried his mindless savagery would somehow interfere with it, but there was no knowing unless she tried. She brought her flute to her lips. But the melody never played. It never needed to.

 **"Bracken Dance!"**

All at once, giant spikes of bone jutted out from the floor, ceiling, and walls, encapsulating around Naruto. The boy was quick to react, yet was not fast enough to fully evade the trap, and soon he was held aloft with no room to move. Still he struggled and strained, thrashing as best he could to break the bones. Kimimaro approached behind them, a disappointed scowl over his brow. Likely he would have scolded them for being unable to deal with Naruto sooner, but he held his tongue if only because of the man who walked beside him. He was a head taller than Kimimaro, his skin pale like a corpse and with long black hair. He held a smile even as he walked towards the enraged Naruto, and even still as the bones began to crack and break, in spite of them being harder than steel.

Naruto struggled all the more as the stranger approached him, but he couldn't break free. He roared ferociously, as if warning the man to stay away, but it was unheeded. A hand was placed on his shoulder, forcing its way through the heavy aura around him, and -

He found himself back in the sewer. No longer was he held by solid bone, but now by a torrent of red, demonic chakra that held him up in front of that same horrible cage. His eyes were back to their innocent blue, and he cried in pain and agony. He was hungry, he was tired. And he was burning. It was a sensation he'd never felt before, but his entire body felt as if it was scorched under an unholy fire. He could see, but he could not control. For a brief moment, the girl's song had lulled the fox's domination of his mind, and that was a brief moment of peace, but before and after there was only pain and suffering. He looked down, and there was the man. What was he doing here?

"Hm. I can't say I expected this. Fascinating." He said, his voice calm and curious despite the situation. He seemed so recognizable to Naruto, but the familiarity alluded him.

"It burns..." He managed to mutter, every breath a struggle, "Help me. Please."

The stranger glanced up at him, his smile never dropping, before he looked deep within the cage. Naruto couldn't see the two giant crimson eyes that looked over him. **"There is no help. This body is mine."**

"There is no denying that, Kyuubi." The man replied, arms crossed loosely across his stomach. "I do not wish to take him from you."

The beast in the cage laughed, a harsh wind rushing through the chamber. **"You, who do not even possess dojutsu, could not even if you did. What brings you here, then, if not to bargain for this boy's life?"**

"Precisely." The man answered again. "I have no intent of harming your host, or you. I merely desire that this child be allowed to live freely, as he should." The chakra veil felt tight around Naruto's chest, as he helplessly watched the two barter for his soul. "If you would only give us the chance, you'll find us not terrible partners. Your jinchuriki will grow in strength and become a capable vessel as you like."

 **"Ha!"** The Kyuubi barked, barring his teeth. **"Polished and careful words, yet I am no fool. What does a snake gain from not nipping a fox in the heel? No, you seek a bigger prize. You intend to tame me and use me against your enemies, as many have tried before."**

"I will not lie, having the Jinchuriki of the most powerful tailed beast at my disposal is part of my plan." The words confused Naruto. Jinchuriki, Kyuubi, tailed beasts - his previous discussion with the monster behind the cage had alluded to similar terms, but it still was not entirely clear. "But I am different from those who came before. I do not seek to subjugate you, Kyuubi. Only to guide your host into attaining his true power."

 **"You mean _mine."_** The fox growled, his voice shaking Naruto to his core.

"You underestimate him, I think. But no matter." The man continued, shrugging off the monster's threatening tone. "Still, you cannot deny you have much to lose, yet much to gain. The boy is too weak at present to contain your full power without use of the seal, preventing your escape. But in time, he will gain that strength. Surely you see the potential." Naruto was still very much confused. Yet, there was one thing he did know. Back at the village, those who acknowledged him were few and far between. The other kids refused to play with him, sometimes they even ran away. The adults refused to guide him, often glaring at him with those horrible, horrible eyes. They hated him, for reasons he never understood. Was this beast the reason? Did they all know some sick, twisted thing about him that he didn't know until now? This thing, this monster dwelt inside of him, waiting to be unleashed. Did they fear him because of that?

Yet, this man, who he'd never met before, was arguing on his behalf. He spoke about a strength that could be... Or, at least, Naruto thought he was talking about him?

"Oh, you have every reason to distrust me, Kyuubi. I certainly would. But even you must admit you have very little option in your... Predicament." The stranger's smile broadened as he glared into the cage. He was met with silence for some time, although Naruto could still feel the monster's deep, heavy breaths behind him. But then, the energy holding him in the air lightened, and he lowered back to the ground.

 **"Fine. I accept your reasoning. But know this, forked-tongue. If you so much as touch this body, alter it, change it in any way that does not go towards removing this seal, I will not answer kindly. Although I rest, I am always watching."**

As soon as Naruto's feet hit the ground, he stumbled forward, stopped only by the bones jutting out from the wall. A wave of exhaustion crashed over him. The last thing he saw before the darkness consumed him was the face of his savior. Who was it? He'd seen him before, for certain. _'Oh, that's right._ ' Naruto thought as his consciousness faded. The photograph. Kimimaro showed it to him. Come to think of it, they tried telling him from the beginning, hadn't they? He was his savior. The one who would come to his aid when he needed it. How could he have been so stupid? Tayuya was right, it really was obvious. The one who would see him for who he really was. The one who would give him purpose. The one who made the burning go away.

 _'Orochimaru.'_

* * *

 **Yay! You made it! Hopefully! .**

 **If you enjoyed the read, be sure and give this story a follow! Also, a review! I'll do my best to answer questions, and otherwise I greatly appreciate any feedback I can get!**

 **So! I'll attempt for weekly updates, but of course life likes to interfere so that won't always happen. But I'll do my best so that updates are coming no later than two weeks out at a time, typically Saturday or Wednesday mornings. Thanks for the read! See ya'll soon! ^.^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all! Welcome to chapter two of Naruto Retold! First off, thank you SO much for all the great feedback and attention! It means a lot! And secondly, I'm sorry for the delay in this chapter's release. I came down with the flu, in conjunction with the holidays and still managing a full time job. So this one was late! Hopefully I'll be able to cram out chapter three soon to make up for it. Please forgive me senpai! T-T**

 **Ezeakel: Eh, give him a few months and he'll see Orochimaru for the snake he really is. I don't think old tall and pale can hide his nature from anybody. Naruto and Kurama will have a dynamic relationship that will flux and wane, but the development of it will certainly be vastly different from what was portrayed in the manga/anime. The pairing is Naruto and Tayuya!**

 **Tygreezy25: I do agree in some respects! It really depends on the individual writer's way of writing Naruto. Maybe in a future story! I'll admit snake summoning isn't out of the question - but Mitsuki won't be around for a long while. xD**

 **amaskandamirror: Thank you! I hope I won't disappoint as things progress!**

 **CaptainKeyes117: Thank you! I'm looking forward to your next chapter as well!**

 **SPark681: Very carefully... O_O Thank you very much!**

 **With that out of the way, read on! I hope you all enjoy! ^.^**

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 **Chapter II**

 **Recuperation**

His eyes were met with a blinding white light above him. Naruto recoiled back into whatever soft thing lay beneath his head. His eyes stung almost as much as his joints ached. As his blue eyes grew adjusted to the light overhead he quickly scanned his surroundings, only to find that he was in a hospital's bed. At least, a hospital that was either underground, or lacked any windows. The bed wasn't entirely comfortable, but certainly was better than anything he'd experienced in the past weeks, and was adorned with dark green sheets. Meters and blinking things lined the wall next to him, some connected to tubes leading into his body. He tried to sit up, only for the pain piercing his back and sides to be unbearable. A similar sensation burned his arms and legs, leaving him effectively motionless on his bed.

All was quiet save for the beeping of one of the machines on his left, until the wooden door creaked open and quiet steps entered. "Ah, finally awake." An unfamiliar voice reached his ears. Naruto gingerly twisted, straining his neck to the right. A young man with ashen-grey hair and circular glasses stood beside him. He had a headband around his forehead with the same sound note Naruto had seen a handful of times, but a kind, softer expression that was lacking in the other occupants of Orochimaru's abode. "How do you feel? Hungry?"

"Uh." the blond groaned. His voice felt broken, cracked, and like it either hadn't been used for far too long, or it'd been abused even longer. "What - where am I?" Nothing made sense, and everything was a blur. A pounding like a drum blasted in his head over and over. The man stared at him for a moment, eyebrows furrowed into a light frown, and he tapped at his chin. He seemed to be considering something.

"You're in Otogakure. Or, part of it." He answered the spoken question, and thankfully he seemed to know the unspoken one as well, as he continued, "You've been unconscious for the last two days. I'm surprised you're awake at all, with the beating you took. Your body was on the verge of shutting down completely."

"Oh." Naruto murmured, as if that was encouraging. He attempted to sit up again in vain, as the pain intensified tenfold. He gasped, and his breath turned ragged, a searing agony spreading from his spine all the way into his arms and legs. The grey haired man placed a hand carefully on his shoulder, gently pressing as if emphasizing that Naruto should stay where he was. He eyed one of the many monitors, concern looming in his eyes.

"You shouldn't push yourself yet. The amount of stress your body was under would have put even Jirobo in the ground. You need time to heal." As he spoke, the man walked over to a tall stand with a plastic bag of liquid within. He fiddled with the controls in a way Naruto couldn't recognize, and with a whir the machine pumped a small amount of the strange purplish juices down the tubes connected to his arms. Naruto had been in a hospital enough times to see the similarities to an IV, yet this wasn't Konoha. He wasn't sure if the function was anywhere near being the same. "That said..." He pointed down at Naruto's chest. The boy strained, careful to not push too hard, and saw his body was covered from the neck down in white bandages with dried blood. "Physically, most of the damage has already healed. It's phenomenal. You looked like you'd been burned alive."

He remembered clearly. The demonic energy that had engulfed him, from head to toe, and took control. The anger, and the fear, that surged uncontrollably. The sensation of fire that would not be extinguished. It was the sort of thing he would never forget. Everything else had been a blur, intermingled at times with moments of clarity where he'd regained control, only to feel an immeasurable pain and rage to cloud his mind again. The memories flashed before his eyes, even while the beast's voice rang in his ears.

 _ **'This body is mine.'**_

He'd asked, before, what the fox wanted from him in return for power. Now it was all too clear just how stupid the question really was. Of course the giant demon fox who destroyed mountains and civilizations in equal measure would never willingly grant his aid unless his own gain was greater. What the Kyuubi would gain from controlling his body - that was a different question entirely. Also too, it brought to light his treatment in the village. The fox had stated, whether truth or lie, that he'd been responsible for not only threatening Konoha, but also for battling with the Fourth Hokage. Never having been a history buff, still even Naruto knew something of the Yellow Flash. Regarded as one of the greatest shinobi of his time, until his untimely and early death protecting the village. If the beast within him was one and the same as the one the Fourth fought...

Still, there were those here who treated him differently. Or, at least, in terms of how they saw him. The glasses-wearing doctor at his side now seemed decent enough, but that tall, creepy guy, the redhead, and the fat one seemed to think he wasn't much more than a pest. But, at least they didn't have any fear of him. And that Orochimaru; Naruto couldn't understand where his mind was. On the one hand, these people who tried to starve him and humiliate him served Orochimaru. He had to have known about the treatment Naruto received. On the other, somehow he'd managed to invade Naruto's mind and barter with the demon fox on Naruto's behalf. He was indebted to Orochimaru for that. Even so, he'd claimed he had no intention of taking Naruto away from the Kyuubi.

It hurt to think. Naruto winced and closed his eyes. "You should get some rest. I've administered a pain reliever, should take effect soon." He started to walk away towards the door, before he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Oh. The name's Kabuto, by the way. I'm looking forward to working with you, Naruto."

Kabuto left as quietly as he came, leaving Naruto alone in silence. A machine bleeped in line with the rhythmic pump of his heart. His thoughts drifted back to the forest, where he'd been pursued by those kunoichi. Where was Iruka-sensei now? He'd last heard his old teacher call for him, but they'd been separated and Naruto hadn't heard or seen Iruka since. Was Iruka still looking for him? Did anybody else even know he was gone? The old man Hokage would have sent people to search for him. But, did he even want to go back? There was nothing worthwhile at the village, except for it being where he was born. No one there really cared for his existence. Granted there was no proof it would be any different here. But he'd spent the last nine years of his life trying to prove his existence to Konoha, trying to make them acknowledge him, with no result. Here, there was at least a chance.

They'd also starved him for several days, kidnapped him, and almost left him to die in his cell, so they were definitely starting off on the wrong foot.

The minutes went on. The heart monitor chimed again and again, like a ticking clock telling the time. Strangely, Naruto wasn't tired. Rather, he felt energized as if he'd had his first real night of sleep in days. In a way, it was true. But it still struck him as odd. He'd been knocked senseless before, and that was hardly the rest one needed. Was the fox responsible for that, as well? He'd never particularly lacked energy to get through a given day so long as he slept for a little while. But, he'd always attributed that to, as grandpa Hokage put it, his "youth". Not to some all-powerful demon being that dwelt within him all this time, without his knowing. Now, he did know, and everything he ever assumed was being turned upside down.

The door to his room creaked open again, only instead of Kabuto it was the redheaded girl again. Naruto eyed her warily as she stood in the doorway, and she returned a similar look back. He'd had little experience with Tayuya, and most of it wasn't good. Although, she was the one who brought him food and talked to him while he was a prisoner, which was more than anyone else could say. Naruto turned his eyes away from her and back towards the ceiling. He heard her steps as she walked up beside him, grabbed a chair from beside the wall, and sat next to him.

Then, there was silence.

Naruto struggled to ignore her even as he felt Tayuya's eyes staring intently at him. Several moments passed before Naruto finally heaved a sigh and asked, "What?"

"What are you?" Tayuya asked immediately, no hesitation or seeming concern for how insensitive the question could be taken. Naruto glanced over to her, scrunching his eyebrows together in a scowl.

"Huh?" He murmured, feigning ignorance.

"Do you even remember?" She pressed, her brows furrowed and arms crossed over her chest. "You break out, slaughter a handful of our Otonin, and even press _us._ That's not normal." So she was there? Naruto strained to recall what detail he could, but everything was so murky. The red chakra did more than just take control of his body, it deafened his mind. "So, what are you?"

"What does it matter?" He answered, thinking of all the times those in Konoha looked at him with disdain. They knew what he was, even though he did not. What made Tayuya any different? What made anyone different? If they knew - if word got out about what he really was... It would destroy any chance he had of being acknowledged. That chance was already ruined in Konoha. He did not want to destroy it here. "I'm... Me. I just, get angry sometimes and-"

"That wasn't anger." Tayuya stated so matter-of-fact that it caught Naruto off guard. "I know anger. What I saw? Ain't it." Naruto stared at her, suddenly unsure whether her questioning was rhetorical. He made to speak again, to reply that he didn't know what she was talking about, when she continued. "It was like you didn't even know what was happening. You were more like a rabid animal than a human being. You weren't angry, _something_ else was being pissed for you. You, you were just - afraid."

"If you knew that then what -"

"I _know_ what you are." Tayuya continued, "Orochimaru told us everything. But do _you_ know what you are?"

Orochimaru told them? A twinge of hurt and betrayal passed through him. Although he had no reason to believe Orochimaru would keep anything a secret, nor had he had the chance to ask for secrecy, still he felt as if some damning choice had been made for him. How many had he told; how much did they know? Would they now treat him the same way Konoha had: looks of disdain and hatred? Naruto swore they would, and yet - as he looked at Tayuya, he saw nothing of the cold, emotionless loathing. Nothing of the overwhelming desire to snuff out his existence. Instead, her eyes softened, as if she understood.

"I- I don't know. There's this thing, this monster, inside me. He told me he was the Kyuubi, a demon fox." He'd answered reluctantly. If she already knew, there was no point in hiding. Besides, he had a feeling she would have found out eventually even if she knew nothing. Even so, willingly admitting to something and begrudgingly accepting it were two separate things.

Tayuya stared at him for several more long moments, before finally she closed her eyes and sighed. "You didn't know, did you?" She scowled at him, a look that made Naruto flinch away. "Nobody told you?" He shook his head. "Goddamn, and I thought Sakon could be cruel. Stodgy bastards thought something like that should be kept a secret; no wonder Konohagakure's gone down the shitter."

While Naruto was offended - Konoha was where he was born, after all - he couldn't help but agree. They hadn't told him anything. Not even the Hokage. He never knew, and like as not he'd have never known. He wondered if they had any intent of informing him, of even hinting at some reason behind the treatment he'd been dealt time after time. Or, if they were content to leave him in the dark, ignorant to his nature as the holder of one of the most powerful beasts known to man. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. That anyone would potentially damn a boy, innocent of any crime, to both the terrifying glares he'd received and ignorance to why he'd received them... Tayuya was right, it was cruel. More than that, it spat in the very face of what he held as his reason for becoming a shinobi.

To be acknowledged. Yet they were so far separated that they would hide the greatest secret of all from him.

The door opened again. Jirobo stepped halfway through the door, an impressive feat considering he was easily the same size as the frame. He eyed Naruto carefully, his face devoid of any indicating emotion, before his attention fell to Tayuya. "Kimimaro wants to speak with us."

"Oh hell." Tayuya grunted as she stood, kicking the chair back to the wall she'd retrieved it from. She left without another word, leaving Naruto to the silence of his room save for the ever beeping of the monitor near him - which chimed noticeably faster now, telling of the frustration Naruto felt.

"Boyfriend?" Jirobo smirked as they walked away from Naruto's room. Tayuya shot him a quick glare.

"Shut up fatty." She grumbled, elbowing him in the side. Kidomaru walked beside them, four of his arms crossed over his chest while the remaining two remained at his sides.

"He's the first one who's actually shorter than you, Tayuya. Can't blame ya' for falling for him." He added with a grin. She pursed her lips, frowned, and sped up her pace down the dimly lit corridor. "The blond's an interesting one though. He's got those main character kinda' vibes. That or he's that one side character who ends up being the main bad guy at the end." Jirobo and Tayuya looked at him. "What? The evil-looking red chakra cloak gave it away. Seriously. Player one ain't supposed to be that scary."

The hall entered into a larger chamber through two wooden double doors, revealing a poorly lit throne. On first glance, it seemed predominantly empty, longer than it was wide, with six massive cylindrical pillars of stone separated into groups of three on each side. At the end, a plain chair rested up against the far wall. It was empty, but it was where Orochimaru normally sat. However, in spite of the room's apparent lack of interest or life, that was far from the truth. Clear, glass containers lined the walls like cells in a prison. Within, dozens, if not hundreds of slithering snakes rested in wait for their food, most hidden in their corners but others with their long, forked tongues flicking almost urgently against the glass. Of those, their eyes curiously followed the three as they entered, seemingly illuminated by a pale yellow glow.

At the end of the room, next to the chair, Kimimaro stood. He seemed impassive as ever.

"Where's Sakon and Ukon?" Jirobo was the first to ask. "We expected them to be here."

Kimimaro didn't answer at first. Then, "They are on a separate mission on Orochimaru's orders. It does not concern you at present." That was pretty typical of Kimimaro. Undying loyalty to Orochimaru, and everything else could be left to burn. As far as Tayuya was concerned, he was about as two dimensional as they came. There was always some indication of something more lying underneath, but his unending stoicism inevitably warded off any questions. They'd never even seen him smile. "I've called you here to discuss the newest member of Otogakure, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Wait, has he actually agreed to anything?" Kidomaru asked with a frown.

"No. But it won't be long before he's a loyal member of Orochimaru's army. As well as a very valuable one. You three are tasked with his safety so long as Orochimaru's own life is not in jeopardy. In particular, Naruto will be your responsibility Tayuya." Her eyes went wide and she almost choked on her own phlegm.

"What?!" She shouted, perhaps louder than she should have. Kidomaru burst into a fit of laughter beside her. She could see a smirk spreading on Jirobo's face. A glare from Kimimaro helped calm her, but it did not cool her frustration. Babysitting Naruto was the last thing she wanted to do. She finally worked the nerve to ask, "Why?"

"You seem to be close enough to him already." He mused, perhaps the closest thing he'd ever get to humor. "After all, it was you who volunteered to deliver food to him, as well as your frequent checks on his condition when he was still comatose." She frowned, but Kimimaro wasn't done. "Beyond that, it was you who Naruto responded best to while he was under the Kyuubi's sway. Your flute dulled him, did it not?"

This much was true. Tayuya recalled the brief moment where their battle two days prior had lulled to a halt once she'd begun playing her flute. Naruto, or the savage that had possessed him, had ceased any attack and stopped, as if to listen to the song. Whether that was Naruto or the beast that dwelt within him in that moment, Tayuya couldn't say. But whichever one it was, her siren call had pacified him. She hesitated, one hand absently drawn to her flute at her hip for some sense of comfort, but eventually she nodded. "Right, okay. So I'm looking after blondie. What does Orochimaru want from him?"

"For now, he's being given time to rest. Kabuto estimates he'll be on his feet in a few hours given his rate of recovery. As soon as he's ready, you're to take him to the arena and have him trained. Properly." Simple enough. Tayuya sighed, resigned to her fate. It dawned on her that Kidomaru and Jirobo would never leave her alone given their teasing. Already there was a telling glint in their eyes, especially Kidomaru's. At least Sakon and Ukon likely wouldn't care either way, though they'd be more likely to insinuate her 'babysitting' assignment was a direct result of her own weakness. They always were the most patronizing of the group.

Tayuya grumbled something incoherent to the others. Then, "How long will they be out?"

"Not long." Kimimaro answered, "They're just beyond our eastern border, and the task they were given is a simple one. You will learn everything once they return. Now," His glare hardened, a threatening malice like no other radiating from him. "Out of my sight."

The three were quick to comply, scurrying out of the room. That too was typical of Kimimaro; he'd learned from Orochimaru well. Although he was far more prone to violence and threats of murder than their master was. Coupled with his aloof way of addressing anyone and anything, and he had the penchant to be outright terrifying. He was strong, too, easily capable of defeating Tayuya, Kidomaru, Jirobo, and the twins even if they fought him with everything they had. It was how he had risen to become their leader; by beating them senseless until they listened. Now, they feared him. He had their loyalty, if begrudgingly, and it would remain that way until the difference in their strength was no longer so great that Kimimaro could best them easily. Until then, he remained their leader, and Orochimaru's iron fist.

Tayuya had eventually split up from the other two. She'd done so subconsciously, her thoughts elsewhere. What to do about Naruto? His condition was poor at best. Horrible mental skills, extreme lack of basic chakra control, no technique to be seen. The only thing he did have was a certain physical ability, but even that was lacking. Then there was the demon. The Kyuubi within him posed a separate issue entirely. As of yet, they didn't entirely know the triggers, but it seemed dragging him close enough to death was a likely cause. In other words, they couldn't let him get too hurt during training. _'And there could be emotional causes too...'_ She mused, as an image of his features passed through her mind's eye, a conflict of emotions raging within him.

Eventually she'd found herself back in front of Naruto's room, staring at the door. A frown permeated her features. Why had she come here? Naruto wouldn't be ready for another few hours, once the outside day had turned to dawn. There was no point to being here now. That was, until she heard Kabuto and Naruto conversing within. Her hand darted to the doorknob and she pushed her way in slowly, deciding she could at least see how the blond was doing. After all the beating he took, she thought perhaps Kabuto would be able to more accurately tell her how long before Naruto would be back on his feet.

You can imagine her surprise when she saw Naruto already standing, Kabuto slowly peeling away his bandages. She was bewildered, Kimimaro said he would be more or less recovered _"in a few hours"_. How long had it been since? Had she been lost in thought for that long? She stepped further into the room, blinking once or twice and straining to see if it was some trick of the light. Naruto's eyes shifted towards her, and Kabuto glanced over his shoulder with a gentle smile.

"Ah, Tayuya, right on time." He said, as he removed the last of Naruto's bandages. She could see his body, where once there were horrible burn marks and areas where his skin seemed as if it were simply peeled away, now it was whole. Perfect, unblemished. Tayuya had seen others with far less serious injuries, yet they were left with even something of a telling scar. But Naruto - it was as if he had never been harmed at all. If that was a lesser extent of the Kyuubi's healing abilities, then it was possible Naruto could survive even fatal injuries. She'd already seen something close to that. Kidomaru's arrow had penetrated very close to his heart, but Naruto had recovered from that injury, his body reforming before their eyes. If that could be applied to training...

She had an idea.

"He's patched and ready to go. I had thought it would take longer but it seems Naruto here is full of surprises." Kabuto stated, breaking Tayuya from her thought. "I understand Orochimaru has put him under your care?"

Tayuya grunted, ignoring the quizzical look Naruto was sending her way. "Right."

Kabuto chuckled, he had always taken amusement to people getting flustered, although he'd rarely gone out of his way to make it happen. At least, not obviously. "Well, normally I would recommend at least another day to make sure he's back to one-hundred percent, but it seems he's an exception. Although, you might want to go easy on him at first. I hear he's got a temper."

"Noted." Tayuya replied flatly. She had long fell out of the mood to trade banter with anyone. "Come on shorty. Let's get you changed."

Naruto had started to complain, but on a glare from Tayuya and a slight nudging from Kabuto, he decided against it. She led him down the hall in silence, not all too different from how she had before - only this time, Naruto wasn't a prisoner. At least, not completely. In a manner of speaking, he still felt as if his freedom was being constricted if only by the windowless walls. He also didn't know exactly what they would want from him. As much as he'd had dreams of becoming the Hokage back in his village, he wasn't so arrogant to believe he was as amazing as he used to make himself out to be. Sasuke had proven that, with the many times his old rival had beaten him into the ground. The other kids always used to laugh and cheer when that happened...

In any case, he doubted he'd be of any use to Orochimaru in his current condition. And he was right. But unknown to Naruto, that was all about to change.

Eventually he'd been led to a room filled with cabinets and dressers. Tayuya stepped aside and let him enter properly. Like the rest of the facility, the room was lit only by candle light. Had they never heard of electricity? His room had modern lights, so why didn't any others? In any case, he looked to his guide questioningly.

She sighed, exasperated, but answered his unspoken question regardless. "Look over the clothes here. When you find something you like, put it on over there." She pointed towards a small corner of the room, where a grey curtain hung from the ceiling. "There ain't much. But most of us don't get a choice, so count your blessings." Naruto nodded, and quickly went to browsing what clothing there was. Tayuya spoke true, there weren't many options, and nothing close to the bright orange colors he was used to wearing. It seemed orange wasn't to be found, even as a secondary color along the seems. It was apparent he would need to begrudgingly sacrifice.

Eventually, he'd made his pick. Hidden behind the curtain, he switched out his old, worn and torn orange pants for new dark grey ones. A matching hooded jacket with white trim along the sleeves was worn over mesh armor, the latter having been Tayuya's suggestion. He was surprised when she'd chimed in, but thought it was likely because he was taking so long choosing his wardrobe that she'd grown impatient. The set was finished with a belt hidden under the rim of his jacket and a pair of black sandals akin to the ones he wore back home. In the end, the outfit was too large for him and was baggy on all sides, but he would grow into it.

He emerged from the corner and glanced at Tayuya expectantly. She shrugged, nonchalantly adding "It'll do.", before she turned and walked out the room. He followed, and further down the hall they went. From what little Naruto had seen of the complex, it was almost like a maze, and yet it seemed Tayuya knew her way around expertly. It made him wonder how long she'd been with Orochimaru and Otogakure. As it was, he couldn't remember his way back to the pseudo-hospital room he'd stayed in already. Maybe there was a map? He made a mental note to check when he had the opportunity.

The path she led them down eventually opened up into a much larger room. This one was in the shape of a massive square, wrapped by a pathway and with a single stairway leading down to the lower floor. Naruto could see other halls heading further into the facility, brightened by the faint flickering of candlelight. What looked like closed cages lined the walls of the bottom level, but the light in this room was far worse than any of the others Naruto had seen, making it difficult to be sure.

"What is this place? Another prison?" Naruto asked, fearing for a moment he would be locked in a cell once more. He had much more energy now, but even so he doubted he'd have the strength to resist if Tayuya were to throw her in one of those cages.

"Yeah, Orochimaru keeps fodder in here. It's empty now." She scanned the room, and Naruto caught her eyes linger on one of the cages specifically. "Well, it's used for training too." Training? Naruto couldn't see any of the equipment they'd had back in Konoha used for training, and there certainly wasn't enough space to run laps.

"Sparring?" He asked, all his many defeats by Sasuke coming back to mind. Tayuya snorted, and slapped Naruto on the back.

"Look at that! You ain't a total featherbrained moron." He winced, more at the sting where she'd hit him than the verbal insult. "Yeah, the best way to learn is hands on. I'm gonna' be drilling you until you're a blond puddle on the ground."

"Wha-? No way!" He whined. Sparring he was fine with, getting beaten to a pulp over and over, however, was not something he was interested in. If he was going to be fighting with Tayuya he already knew he was going to lose. She'd proven that much when he'd tried to escape the first time. There hadn't even been a fight, just him, his head, and a wall. If that was how this was going to end, he decided it would be better to go back to his room after all. Of course, Tayuya wasn't about to let that happen, if her mischievous smirk was any indication.

"Oi! Zaku! Get your ass over here!" Naruto hadn't noticed the other man in the room. He scanned the lower floor, the cages, and up to the platform and the other halls until his eyes finally settled on a silhouette slumped against a wall. What sounded like a groan echoed through the chamber, and after a moment the shadowed form shifted and stood, slowly making its way over to them. He emerged into the dim light, revealing a boy who seemed only a little older than Naruto. Spiky black hair, more messy than even Naruto's, was held up by a Otogakure headband. His dark brown eyes seemed groggy and tired, and he had a very discontent grimace disturbing his features. He seemed as if he'd just been woken. Otherwise, his garb seemed more casual than any others he'd seen, a simple beige shirt and grey camouflaged pants. Although, the metal lining the sides of his face were a little odd...

"Hai." He replied, half asleep on his feet. Tayuya grumbled under her breath, something about 'lazy halfwits', but otherwise grit her teeth and offered an insincere smile.

"You're gonna' be training with Naruto today." She instructed, never bothering to formally introduce the two. Not that they would need it. She felt the two would learn all they needed to of each other soon enough. "I want you to stay at it until I say otherwise, get me?"

Zaku rubbed the back of his head with one hand, and used the other to point towards Naruto. "Is that okay? Shrimp doesn't look like he'd last long in a fight."

Naruto was offended. He had every reason to believe Tayuya could beat him, having experienced that firsthand, but he'd never met Zaku in his life. What gave him the right to say that? He clenched his hands into fists and gave Zaku the hardest glare he could, only prevented from erupting into a full blown shout thanks to Tayuya placing a firm hand on his shoulder. Fear held his tongue.

"It'll be fine. He can take a punch. 'Sides, he'll learn best by getting his ass kicked in anyways." The extreme lack of care for his personal safety concerned him. In any case, they walked down the stairs to the lower floor, and stood a fair distance apart from each other. It was difficult to see Zaku from there, but he could tell the boy had his hands at his sides. Was he underestimating Naruto that much? He'd need to be taught a lesson, and how. Naruto dropped into a fighting stance, which to him was just a cool pose he'd seen in a comic once.

The first bout hadn't gone well. Naruto had made the first move, committing to a charge and attempting a punch to Zaku's jaw. In hindsight, trying the exact same maneuver he'd gone for against Tayuya likely wasn't the best choice. He'd discovered that only after Zaku countered with a bone shattering punch of his own, briefly causing Naruto's world to turn to black. When he regained consciousness, he found himself sprawled out on the floor. His opponent held his head to one side, giving Naruto a look of contempt. It was different from the ones he'd received back home, where they despised his existence; rather than outright hate, Zaku seemed more bored than anything. The boy determined he was going to change that.

So, he got up. Round two ended the same way.

"Come on..." Naruto grumbled as he stood once more. Zaku had a smirk now, as if he found Naruto's weakness laughable. That thought would be right.

"That all?" He taunted, "Tayuya! Why don't you have Kin deal with him? He could put up more of a fight with her." Kin? Naruto hadn't heard that name yet. But whoever she was, it seemed Zaku felt he was too high and mighty to need to deal with Naruto. As if he was too weak to be considered a real threat. The idea made him angry. He rushed forward, breaking the distance between them faster than before. He swung again, this time his fist making contact directly with Zaku's cheek. The blow stunned the other boy, pushing him back and causing him to stumble and fall. Naruto stood over Zaku, who stared back at him in stunned silence, with a single fist held in front of him as he breathed heavily.

"Don't look down on me. I'm gonna' kick your ass." Naruto growled, his rage and adrenaline pushing him forward. The pain from getting knocked down time and again was nothing, he could take it. Compared to the cold, horrible gazes he'd been victim to for all those years, the physical pain was nothing.

"Huh." Zaku grunted, now sporting a bruise, "Surprised me. You've got a solid right hand, I'll give you that. You won't get that lucky again." He jumped to his feet, cracked his knuckles, and strode towards Naruto with a telling grin. "Let's have some fun." This time, it was Zaku that went on the offensive. A strike to Naruto's head, revenge of a sort for the blow Naruto had connected, was narrowly avoided. Naruto ducked backward just in time as Zaku's hand skinned his nose. His heart pounded, his every sense on high alert. He countered with a blow to Zaku's abdomen, which was blocked and brushed away - then it was Naruto's turn to take a hit. His chest ached from his opponent's powerful strike, and Zaku took advantage with a roundhouse kick that blasted Naruto to the floor.

"Gah!" Naruto coughed, blood oozing from his nose. Zaku did not give him a moment to rest, kicking Naruto harshly in the side. He made to kick again, but Naruto was ready for him this time. Just as the foot smashed into his rib, he grabbed hold of it, tensed, and bit deep into Zaku's shin. The other boy cried out in pain, then forcefully removed Naruto from his leg by throwing him across the arena. He slammed into the far wall, and collapsed onto his hands and knees.

"You son of a bitch!" Zaku howled with a fierce glare, while he aimed an open palm towards Naruto.

"What's that?" Naruto weakly asked as he dragged himself back to his feet. A cylindrical, metal hole went deep into Zaku's forearm, and possibly even further. Not only was it freakishly unnatural, but the way it was pointed directly at him made Naruto very uneasy. If it was a weapon, then he needed to prepare to dodge it. An image of something very sharp flying from Zaku's hand and into Naruto's forehead briefly flashed through his mind. He tensed, and readied for the next onslaught.

He barely managed to avoid the immense blast of pressurized wind barreling his way, with the strength of a hurricane. Yet even though he'd avoided the attack itself, the impact as it hit the wall had such force it knocked him to the ground. He rolled, and as soon as he was back to standing he started running. "What the hell?!" Zaku launched shot after shot of the wind, each one coming closer than the last. There was no doubt the attack could kill Naruto if it hit him. He had to do everything in his power to avoid them. But what could he do? Zaku grinned as his assault continued, and showed no sign of slowing down. Naruto didn't have the range to deal with this, neither jutsu nor equipment. It struck him as very unfair that his opponent could use jutsu and techniques whereas he knew none. Tayuya's comment of a blond puddle on the ground seemed that much closer to reality.

Tayuya observed the fight from the upper walkway, her eyes set on Naruto as he fled from Zaku's wind bullets. "How's he doing?" Kidomaru asked as he walked up behind her, and he paused when he saw the two below. "Zaku's serious? You do realize you've basically thrown a level 5 against a mini boss?"

"He's fine." She replied, never giving him so much as a glance, "You learn best by doing. Blondie's got to learn how to think for himself. Pipe's got the experience and power to wipe the floor with most rookies, but he's still just a little ant. And - with his ability to heal from most smaller injuries, I'm banking Shorty can recover from fatigue and muscle strain much quicker than Pipes can. The more times Zaku pushes him to the edge, the stronger Naruto will get."

"You're thinking his ability to recover will boost his performance?" Kidomaru mused, strumming a finger on his chin. Tayuya nodded, and Kidomaru hummed thoughtfully. "It could work. If shorty there can get closer he might be able to-"

The two perked up as a blast knocked Naruto from his feet mid-stride. The blond dropped to the ground, his face smashing into the dirt floor. He scrambled back to his feet, but Zaku had already begun his push, another concentrated blast of wind pummeling Naruto's side and forcing him back against the wall. Naruto cried out in pain, his voice drowned out by the wailing screech of Zaku's attack. Another endless bullet joined the first as Zaku extended another arm. Naruto couldn't move. The assault pinned him, and pain wracked through him. The world around him began to fade, his reality blurring to grey.

"That's enough!" Tayuya's voice cut through, impossibly loud over the harsh stream of air. The attack ended immediately. Naruto's body dropped to the floor, and he laid still. Zaku twisted around and glared up at the girl, his fists clenched.

"See?!" He shouted back, "I told you I was too much for him! Don't go matching me up against shmucks!" Tayuya squeezed the bridge of her nose between two fingers. Putting up with training Naruto was one annoyance, Zaku was another entirely. Contrary to the boys bragging, the fact that he was going all out already showed promise for Naruto's improvement, even if it was entirely one sided. If they kept up like this, it would only be a matter of time before Naruto could fight evenly. If he survived that long.

"Take five, Zaku. Soon as Naruto's ready to go again, we'll start over." She returned Zaku's glare just as strongly, a reminder that any complaint wouldn't be tolerated. She'd personally see to that. Still, for a moment it seemed Zaku was about to retort, until finally he decided otherwise and shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah." He mumbled, as he walked over to one of the corners of the room.

"Wait." All eyes in the room darted towards the source of the weak voice. Naruto wobbled as he stood, one hand braced against the wall. He breathed heavily, blue eyes focused solely on Zaku's dark brown ones. "Not yet. I'm not done yet."

There was silence then, a mixture of shock and surprise. Naruto steadied and stood ready, his arms held before him in a far more defensive stance now. He was already learning. And for the few moments as they watched, and saw his bruises slowly shrinking, they knew he was already healing. Tayuya was awed by his determination. He knew he was outmatched, yet he wanted to fight on anyways. But, it was also illogical, and stupid, and would inevitably get him killed. For now however, it fit in with her method of training. As long as he was willing to continue, she would push him.

"You kidding me?" Zaku growled, as he shoved a palm towards Naruto. "One shot. That's all it would take and you'd keel over like a dog. You ain't even a threat, kiddo."

"Just shut up already." Naruto grumbled. He stepped away from the wall, shifting closer to the center of the room.

"You know what? I don't even need 'em." Zaku clenched his fists, "I'll beat you down with my bare hands shorty."

Naruto took a steadying breath. "Fine with me." Tayuya and Kidomaru exchanged a glance. There was a difference between Naruto now and how he was moments ago. He was calmer, more stable. It could have just been Zaku's own overbearing personality, or it could have been something else. In either case, Tayuya finally smiled. Now was when progress would really begin. He had potential, he just needed a good push to realize it. Perhaps Zaku would be that, or at least enough to get the ball rolling. In time, Naruto could grow to be stronger than Zaku, and then he could spar with Dosu. Beyond that, maybe even the rest of the Sound Four. Kidomaru for his part seemed all too eager for a rematch.

But, for now, Naruto and Zaku faced each other in the ring. Naruto was weak, and Zaku was strong. But Naruto was prepared, and he was determined. There was a telling glint in his eyes. He would get knocked down again, and again, and again. But each time he was pushed down, he would get up again. He would get stronger, faster, smarter. His body could keep up with the injuries, no matter how great they were. Would Zaku beat him with raw, brute force? Or would Naruto gradually wear him down?

Kidomaru munched on popcorn kernels. She didn't know where he'd gotten them, and she wasn't keen to take any. But one thing was certain; it was bound to be a show.

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 **DONE! Again, very sorry for the delay in releasing this one. With any luck, I won't get sick again any time soon, and I'll be able to push Chapter Three out in no time at all! I hope you enjoyed the read! Don't forget to give the story a follow/favorite if you enjoyed, and leave a review with any questions, advice, or comments you'd like! I greatly appreciate whatever feedback I can get!**

 **Until next time! Hope ya'll had Happy Holidays!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Welcome to Naruto Retold: Lost Child - Chapter THREE! I got soooooo frustrated with this one. I actually had to rewrite it after I realized the first rendition kinda screwed me over with certain aspects of the plot, in particular with Naruto's development, as well as throwing me into a corner as far as future plot and character developments were concerned. Eventually, while re-plotting for the chapter, I decided to do a time skip ahead and leave certain things unsaid, to allow for a little more fluidity for character growth. It's only a minor one though, promise! Hope ya'll don't mind! I'M SORRY! T-T**

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 **heckelman88 - Like I said in my PM, this is definitely not going to be a harem story. Sorry to disappoint on that one. ^.^;;;**

 **slythefoxx2 - Excellent question! The answer of course is, he wouldn't. I mean, he's not a masochist. But I'm a firm believer that people can change, sometimes for the better, other times for the worse. That coupled with experiences people can go through together, allows for former enemies to become friends, or vice versa. I only ask for patience, and once we've reached that point in the story, my only hope will become that I did a well enough job explaining both Naruto and Tayuya's growth.**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Thanks for pointing that out! That was the idea I was going for. I was heavily inspired both by a certain Star Trek episode (which was also based off the novel Nineteen Eighty Four, I believe), as well as some deeper Dragon Age lore with the Qunari. I'm glad you enjoyed!**

 **amaskandamirror - Thank you! Fortunately no sickness this time, although I was delayed for a totally different reason. T-T Having Naruto be a blind, obedient pawn of Orochimaru was the initial idea. But I decided to change things a little bit while plotting out the story. And you're correct! Naruto should be around 10, 10 and a half at this point, and he does not _currently_ know the Kage Bunshin or related jutsu. ;) Tayuya would be, what, 11? I think? xD**

 **Akashimauchiha - Well I certainly have no plans to abandon this, and it's a LONG way from being complete. xD So hopefully I continue to entertain!**

 **iXioz - Thank you! I appreciate the comparing and the compliment. :D**

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 **To all the rest, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the wonderful feedback! Honestly, it's that kind of support that makes writing something like this all the more enjoyable.**

 **With all that out of the way, I hope you all enjoy!**

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 **Chapter III**

 **Development**

 _'Agh!' Naruto had cried, as he was blasted against the wall. Not for the first time had he been overwhelmed by Dosu and Zaku's combination. Put together, the two were easily comparable to a chunin, or even a jonin. Well, maybe that was a stretch. Even so, Naruto was frustrated. Just when he thought he'd had the upper hand, the two had managed to regain control. Meanwhile, Kin just watched and laughed from the sideline. Still, he sprang to his feet, and had just enough time to dodge out of the way of Zaku's follow up assault. Their ability to use long ranged attacks against him was an annoyance he wasn't likely to defeat soon. And whenever he got close, between Dosu's defense and Zaku's offense, he was still outmatched. He needed to separate them, but how? The chamber wasn't large enough and he wasn't strong enough to knock one out before the other could react. The only thing he had going for him was his ability to heal, and that was all._

 _He'd grown stronger, true. But not enough. He couldn't defeat them both. But perhaps, in time, he could..._

Six Months Later

The days had been grueling. Time after time he'd fought Zaku, never winning. Yet he'd never given up. More and more he'd grown frustrated with his own inability to best his opponent, and that kept him coming back for more. Naruto hadn't realized how strong he was growing. Certainly, he noticed a change in his body. He'd grown slender, losing fat in his cheeks and sides, but he'd also grown bulkier. There was a stronger definition in his arms and stomach that wasn't there before. Now he was taller too, at the very least he stood nose to nose with Tayuya. He supposed it helped that Otogakure fed him better than Konoha ever had. In any case, it felt good.

It wasn't long after those changes that Naruto made a connection between his physique and his ability to fight. At first it was minor. Those blows which before hurt like hell now stung only slightly. He was faster, both in natural speed and in reflexes, able to dodge and block attacks that prior he never could. His stamina, that had always been monstrous, had grown even greater. And then...

He won.

Zaku never understood what hit him. One minute he was on the offensive, as he'd always been, and the next Naruto was standing over him like a prideful lion. There had been a prolonged silence after. Even Tayuya was surprised. She told them to fight again. Naruto defeated Zaku for a second time. His improvement skyrocketed afterwards. So much so that, in time, it was now Zaku who struggled to keep up. It was a mismatch. Yes, Zaku had his air blasts, but those only worked if they could hit; they no longer did. Physically, Naruto was stronger, and his ability to heal countered whatever damage Zaku did manage to deal. In the end, Tayuya had to call in extra help.

Two others stood with Zaku now, one boy and one girl. The boy was likely taller than Zaku, yet he always slouched so it was difficult to tell. He wore an over sized poncho, with sleeves hanging down to his knees. The majority of his face was wrapped in bandages, save for his left eye. The girl had long, dark hair and matching eyes; her garb was most similar to that of a shinobi, being a pale green vest and grey pants. She held a focused grimace, as a hand hovered over a pouch on her left leg.

As always, Zaku was the first to make a move. Naruto had decided he was the most impatient of the group in their many sparring sessions. First to act, first to speak. The compressed blast of air rocketing towards Naruto seemed like a bullet, but the blond was prepared. He dodged to the right, not once looking away at the three even as he felt the wind scrape against his chest. The slouched one was next. His name was Dosu, he was the leader of the three. Always cautious and intelligent, Naruto had noted that he only ever attacked once an opening had been made. He was ready for that as well. Dosu struck with a right hook, a fairly sized metal device on his forearm, with several holes along the upper base.

Naruto was equally aware that avoiding the physical blow was not the same as dodging the attack itself. In this case, he opted to be more aggressive. He dropped back, eyes narrowed as the heavy device flew over his nose; in the same action, he reached up to grab Dosu's collar. One foot connected with his stomach, leverage for Naruto to throw him over his head to the back of the chamber. Briskly he landed on his feet in time to block Zaku's attack with a hand, blunting the next with an elbow, and pushing a third aside. He was quick to take advantage of the opening that left him, delivering a swift uppercut to his foe's chin followed by a forceful shove to his chest, pushing Zaku off his feet.

Next was the girl. Kin wasn't the strongest of the group, but that didn't make her any less dangerous. For one, Naruto knew the tiny bells attached to the senbon thrown his way were a trigger for an acute genjutsu. He'd found that out the hard way. Not willing to deal with it again, he sidestepped the senbon and swiped the bells from them in the same motion. He caught four in this way, but three broke passed him, embedding into the wall. Kin smirked confidently, it was all she needed. He would need to act quickly if he was going to survive what came next. If he could pull her into a hand to hand, she wouldn't be able to chime the bells. He rushed her; she wasn't that far, he could make it. Or so he thought.

Dosu was back to his feet and jumped between them, braced for Naruto's assault. "Move!" Naruto growled, an attempted shove successfully halted by Dosu and his enhancer.

"Not likely." The other boy replied calmly. Naruto could feel the device vibrating against his shoulder. He snarled and flew into an onslaught of blows against the metal. Each was blocked, but Naruto knew each strike stopped Dosu from using his technique properly. For a moment he managed to knock Dosu off balance, but any chance to take advantage was ruined by Zaku's interference. The other boy joined the melee, forcing Naruto to go defensive, now caught between the two boy's coordinated attacks. His speed was all that saved him, and he took extra care to land a blow against Dosu's device whenever he could. He held them at bay for only a moment before the bells jingled and chimed. He had just enough time to realize he was in trouble before he started seeing doubles.

The disorientation was enough that he could not block a solid punch to his chin from Zaku, revenge from before. Then, an immense pain blasted his ears, dropping him down to a knee. Dosu had mastered his amplifier to the extent that he could manipulate directly the sound waves produced by it to pinpoint target anything of his choosing, even the ear canal. Weakened as he was, Naruto was unable to avoid the stream of air Zaku sent crashing into him. It sent him flying back, pounding against the wall. Naruto felt the air get knocked out of him. This wasn't looking good. He was just able to focus enough to see Dosu charging him, Zaku preparing to launch another blast, and Kin throwing senbon his way. They wouldn't kill him, but that was not a pain Naruto wanted to deal with.

So, he threw his hands together. **"Futon: Fujinheki! (Wind Wall)"**

Admittedly, he'd done it in a panic. He'd only recently begun training with the wind style, and Fujinheki was the only one he knew; but he had never managed to perform it properly. Only small drafts of wind. And yet, as he exhaled and brought the jutsu to life, the spherical blast of wind was stronger than he'd ever seen. It was strong enough at least to knock Dosu and Zaku off their feet, effortlessly deflect Kin's senbon and cause the girl herself to brace against the current. Once the gale had subsided, Naruto dropped once more to a knee, his breath ragged. His vision had cleared, Kin's genjutsu failing with the disruption of the bells, but now he felt drained. The simple answer was he had used too much chakra in performing the technique. The more complicated reason...

"Control!" Tayuya snapped as she appeared beside him. "You gotta' learn to control your chakra before you even _try_ to use jutsu in combat!" Naruto sighed, and staggered back to his feet. He'd learned many things in the last several months, not the least of which being that Tayuya was perpetually angry. Or, at least impatient. Her dominant personality had quickly domesticated whatever wildness Naruto previously had. He'd decided pulling pranks would not be a healthy pastime.

"Okay, I got it..." He grumbled, as he placed a hand on the wall. The world spun; he'd used far too much chakra in just that one burst. Fortunately, the fox made sure he always had plenty, but even so it would take a short while to recover. Tayuya scowled at him, then surveyed the sound trio. Kin was the only one standing, Zaku and Dosu remained where they sat, waiting until their heads cleared. It wasn't extremely powerful. On the contrary, she'd seen Orochimaru perform that very same technique, and it completely dwarfed what Naruto had done. Still, for still having little chakra control, it was an impressive feat. How powerful would that same jutsu be when he was older? The thought excited her and terrified her all at once.

"Do you?" She started, as Naruto stumbled back and rested with his back against the wall. "I warned you not to use it, but you did. You know how dangerous that is, right? You could fucking kill yourself."

"I know." Naruto grunted.

She continued to scold him. "Last thing we need is for you to turn even more brain dead than you already are, because you overdid it. Here, it's fine. You've got people to make sure you don't get wasted. But what about out there? You gonna' screw yourself over in the field?"

"I won't." He replied again, taking a final deep breath. His chakra had stabilized at least enough so his dizziness and lethargy lessened. "Look, I'm fine, see? It just rocked me a little bit. I'll recover my chakra faster than anyone else anyways, so it works out." Tayuya fixed him with a stern glare, but didn't argue his point. It was true, to an extent. Naruto's passive chakra rejuvenation was much faster than the typical shinobi's, and the amount of chakra he stored regularly was insane as it was. And it was still growing by the day. Still, she couldn't help but think of all the other monsters out there. Naruto wasn't the only one, and the risk of him wasting himself fighting someone with equal or more chakra than he had was all too real.

"You're willing to bet your life on that?" She finally asked. Naruto seemed confused by the question, if his tilted head and furrowed eyebrows was any indication. "How long do you think that logic's gonna save you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Hasn't let me down yet."

"You've only fought the same three fucking people!" She hadn't meant to raise her voice again, but she had. Her scolding echoed through the chamber and down the halls. Tayuya pointed to Dosu, Zaku, and Kin, who by now had decided it was best to stay as far away from Naruto and Tayuya as they could. "You've practiced again and again with them. You learned what they could do and what they're capable of. What happens when you fight someone, and you have no idea what they can do? You just, go ham and hope for the best?"

Naruto nodded. He _nodded_. He agreed with her assumption so willingly, so honestly, that for a moment Tayuya was caught completely off guard. She realized that this was Naruto she was talking to, of course, so his response wasn't all that surprising. It amazed her that someone so unbelievably stupid could grow so powerful in such a short amount of time. Jirobo was similar but he had some sense, unlike the blond. "You're _not_ invincible..." She grumbled, as she turned on a heel and climbed the stairs to the exit. "We're done for today. Clean up and get something to eat."

Silence engulfed the chamber, save for Tayuya's footsteps as she left. They watched her warily. An agitated Tayuya was a dangerous Tayuya, and nothing screamed agitated Tayuya more than when she stopped the insults and carried a heartless tone. It wasn't until all sound had faded that Naruto was slapped in the face by a white towel. "You're a tough son of a bitch." Zaku chimed with a grin. Time had been kind for the two of them, especially with their countless sparring. Though Naruto was now stronger than Zaku, still they had each other's respect.

"Your own fault for going easy on me." Naruto replied, smirking. It turned into a sheepish grin. "You guys okay?"

"We're fine." Dosu added, as he dragged himself to his feet. "Orochimaru wouldn't keep us around if a gust like that could beat us." Naruto laughed, but cringed inwardly. It was true. The blast had been powerful, but not enough to knock one unconscious outright. If anyone couldn't take that, they would have been dropped faster than a hot pancake in summer. Yet - to say Naruto would have fared so well, only six months ago, would be a blatant lie. Orochimaru didn't tolerate weakness, but he appreciated potential. Naruto thanked Kami he'd had enough potential to go around.

"Hope your head isn't still spinning." Kin said as she collected her discarded senbon. "When will you learn how to counter a simple genjutsu?" She seemed callous and arrogant, but it was her own way of making sure he was okay.

"Oh, I'm great." He lied. In truth, his ears were still ringing and it felt like his head wanted to keep going whenever he turned. "I just panicked and forgot to take out all the bells. Would have been easier if these two weren't pressuring me. Besides, we all know your genjutsu is nothing compared to Tayuya's."

"Yep." Commented Zaku.

"Speaking of, you should be careful." It hadn't taken long for Naruto to take a liking to Dosu. Yes, he was creepy, calm, collected, and very, very prideful; but he was also quick to advise his allied and friends. It was almost like he cared. "It seemed Tayuya was ready to kill you. If you don't watch your tongue she's liable to do just that."

Naruto rolled a shoulder and craned his neck to the side. "She won't. As much as she hates me, she won't lift a finger unless Orochimaru or Kimimaro say. Besides, I'm pretty good at shaking things off." Zaku had found that out the hard way, when he'd begun to recover from his air blasts much, much quicker than he ever had before. They still knocked the wind out of him, and several in rapid succession would definitely keep him down; but only one? That was more like a solid punch to the gut, but not much more. "Anyways..."

"Let's get something to eat huh? I'm starved!" As if to emphasize his point, Zaku's stomach growled noisily. "Wonder if they've got any Unagi."

"Ohh no! Last time you had that you were out for a week, remember?" Kin grabbed Zaku by the shoulder. "We're sticking to cooked food for you, mister." Zaku grumbled, Naruto chuckled, and Dosu watched on; with a slight scrunch in his face that indicated he was smiling. It was just that sort of camaraderie he'd grown into in his short time there. According to Tayuya, and even a few comments from Kidomaru, the three of them were never like that with each other until Naruto had come along. Back then, it was like they hated each other. Now, they bickered and they fought, but with a more playful vibe than there ever was before. It was like they were a family. That was something Naruto had never experienced in Konoha. He wasn't expecting to find it here, but now... Now he was sure.

This was home.

Well, a home that he'd never actually seen the outside of. He'd often wondered whether they hadn't brought him out of the facility because they didn't trust him, or if there was some other reason. He'd tried to ask, but all he'd ever gotten out of anyone was 'you'll go when we say you can', or something to that effect. He'd be lying if he ever said he wasn't getting antsy. Images of noble, green trees and a gentle breeze grazing his cheek flashed through his mind constantly. The scent of ramen from Ichiraku's, the other children's laughter. There were many things he missed. But for the moment, he was happy enough to have people who genuinely didn't hate him - and those he could call friends.

The scent of freshly cooked food burst free as they opened the cafeteria's doors. Orochimaru didn't spare much expense on keeping his people fed. Harsh as he seemed, mainly through Kimimaro's representation, he knew the logic that a well-fed follower was a strong follower. Kin had to drag Zaku away from the sushi, but there were many other choices. Mainly cooked fish, but Naruto did spot the occasional bird. The one thing that was missing was a good cup of ramen, but he wouldn't complain. At least, not openly. He'd just dished a full plate of food and turned around to sit with the three, when he saw Jirobo eating off in the corner. It wasn't hard to notice the guy, with his hulking frame. He was a giant in the room; but more importantly, a member of the Sound Four.

Naruto had never associated with him much, and the few times he had weren't pleasant. His first meeting had been when he'd been grabbed at the lake, after all. Granted, ever since he had agreed to stay in Otogakure and serve Orochimaru, they'd only met occasionally; usually just passing in the halls, and each time Naruto felt a chill run through his spine. Unlike with Kidomaru, who checked in on him every now and again, and Tayuya his trainer. Naruto continued to the table with his friends, careful not to make eye contact.

By the time he'd joined them where they sat, Zaku was already poking at his plate with a pair of chopsticks, absolutely despondent. He groaned even as Kin scolded him. "Stop acting like a child!" she pleaded as she slapped a hand across his back. "If you don't eat now you'll regret it later."

"Yes mom." He replied, unenthused.

"You know, I'm sure last time was just a fluke." Naruto genuinely felt bad for him. The look of total defeat and utter desolation written all over Zaku's face was almost too much to bear. "Maybe just a little bit wouldn't hurt?"

"Naruto!" Kin growled, focusing a shattering scowl his direction.

"Don't encourage him." Dosu replied, already entirely done with whatever he'd had on his platter. How he'd managed to eat that fast, Naruto would never know. "If he gets sick again, Tayuya will murder him - that's if Kin doesn't beat her to it."

Naruto gave Zaku an apologetic grin. At least he tried. It wasn't like he couldn't understand where the boy was coming from. While Naruto had never enjoyed sushi in any capacity, he felt it wasn't all too different from his desire to eat ramen. It didn't matter how many times he'd gotten sick from eating something rotten, he always came back for more.

They enjoyed the rest of their meal in relative peace - well, except for Zaku who eyed the sushi section of the cafeteria longingly, and Dosu who was already finished. The other occupants of the room chattered noisily as they ate. Other shinobi Orochimaru had brought in over the years. Most had been there much longer than Naruto had. Some were even more veteran than his friends. Yet there were a select few who were brought in after Naruto had begun training. He recognized a few of those newer faces there with them, at other tables, yet close enough to tune in to their conversations. While the majority of them spoke of training or their own assignments they'd been tasked with, one discussion caught Naruto's interest.

"-And now Kimimaro's looking for a team for some secret mission." One of them said, as Naruto strained to block out the rest of the sounds.

"Really? Kimimaro is?" Another replied.

"Yeah. Apparently he's put the Sound Four in charge of selecting the team though. Rumor is they're going to send-"

"Hey! What's got into you?" Damn it Zaku! Naruto blinked and refocused on the other boy, who now sported a quizzical frown. The conversation had all but faded and Naruto couldn't hope to track it down again. "You zoned out for a sec." No kidding. Naruto frowned, but quickly hid it behind a shrug and a grin.

"Just tired, I guess." He lied. It wasn't altogether important, at least not as far as the others were concerned. The fact that it involved the Sound Four however meant it was of extreme importance to him. "You guys know anything about some mission the Sound Four are preparing for?"

"Mission?" Kin repeated, tapping her chin in thought. "I don't think so."

"Sakon was away for several weeks some time ago." Dosu interjected. "Otherwise, they've all been stationed here. If there is something happening, I think it would be connected to that." He looked at Naruto with his singular eye, giving him a knowing nod. He'd heard the same conversation. Naruto wasn't surprised that he had; Dosu's hearing had always been the best of the four. "I find it more interesting that we haven't heard of this directly."

"Heh, don't think you're that important, Dosu." Zaku quipped, "You guys heard it from someone else, right? So it's just a rumor. I'd be just as stoked to get out of this joint for a little bit, but don't get your hopes up."

Maybe he was right. Naruto sighed, nibbling at what few crumbs of rice remained. It had been six months since he'd started training with Zaku. Some days had been long, others short. It felt as if the time spent here had been an eternity, regardless. Every day Naruto awoke hoping that he would be told he could see the sun, and each time he'd been disappointed. He, more than the others, longed for something to do outside the facility. They at least were allowed outside. But for him? He wasn't even close to the door.

As he spent day after day watching the same walls, the same ceiling, the same faces, the same flickering of candle light, Naruto knew it was only a matter of time before something would break. At times he would be frightened from sleep by a deep stirring from within. At others he could faintly hear a low grumble in his ears. The monster within him grew more and more restless by the day. He wondered if it, too, desired to see the outside, to breath the fresh air. Or, if it simply craved action, more than his daily training would provide.

Boredom was like a poison, and it was one he fought unceasingly.

Zaku grabbed Naruto by the shoulder. "Come on, let's spar some more. Just, no jutsu this time." The blond chuckled; the effects of his brief overuse of chakra had long faded, and he was more than able to go again. For a moment he entertained the idea, but decided against it. There was something else he wanted to try.

"I'm gonna' practice my Fujinheki more. The amount of chakra I put into that should've had more kick to it, but it wasn't that strong anyways. I want to figure out why." He hadn't thought much about it at the time, but in hindsight, it bothered him that he was apparently wasted after using it, yet it lacked the power it should. He'd achieved comparable results in practice, even while utilizing less chakra. Why wasn't it stronger? There should have been so much more.

"Suit yourself." Zaku said with a shrug, and then he yawned. "Guess I'll go take a nap then. Call if you nee-"

They all turned at Zaku's silence. He stood motionless, arms awkwardly stretched and eyes wide, staring up at a towering Jirobo. Naruto instinctively tensed. Memories of the forest reemerged, of the boy appearing from behind the tree. Jirobo stared at him much like he had back then. What made it worse was not that Jirobo was physically giant compared to them, but rather that they couldn't tell what he intended. His face was largely void of any telling emotion. Kin sprang to her feet, while Dosu remained seated where he was. The room fell quiet. Did they all stop talking because they were curious or because they were afraid? Naruto felt it difficult to even breathe with the intense gaze Jirobo was giving him. He couldn't move.

Finally, after what had seemed to be minutes, Jirobo spoke, "You four, follow me." His voice was commanding, demanding even. Naruto exchanged a quick glance at his friends, who seemed just as wary as he felt, before they followed him out the door.

He led them through the halls at a slow, almost methodical pace, betraying the way Naruto had seen him eat. He wondered if Jirobo wasn't the fastest member of the Sound Four, but at least the strongest? He'd asked Tayuya once, but she claimed he was actually the weakest. Still, he was terrifying, and had the respect of almost every living being in the compound. Almost.

"There you are, butterball. What took so long?" Kidomaru's familiar voice sprang through the chamber. He'd associated with the six-armed teen more than Jirobo, and from what experience he had with him, Kidomaru seemed at least decent. Although he liked to joke and prod at other's expense. He stood beside Tayuya, and who Naruto guessed was Sakon; a tall boy with pale skin and blueish gray hair. The room they'd been led to was one Naruto hadn't seen; it was about as tall as the cafeteria, but longer, and with several large pillars standing as sentinels along the chamber. At the far end was a chair, which must have been Orochimaru's. The walls behind the pillars were too dark to see, yet Naruto could swear he saw little yellow and green lights flickering.

"They were eating." Jirobo responded, simple and to the point. He paused, then finally admitted, "So was I."

"Let's make this quick, before Kimimaro grows impatient." Sakon interrupted, annoyed both in tone and in posture. His arms were crossed and he held a scowl that put Tayuya's to shame. "Have you told them anything?"

"No." Jirobo replied. Told them what? "Some of the new recruits couldn't keep their mouths shut. Might've overheard."

Ah! Naruto suddenly felt a conflict of emotions, tense and nervous and excited in equal measure. The conversation he'd briefly overheard before came back to mind. A mission! Finally! He could barely contain his smile. Tayuya glanced at him momentarily, but she rolled her eyes and redirected her attention elsewhere.

"Well, no time to waste then." Sakon continued. "There's a job Orochimaru needs doing. He can't send all four of us, so only one of us is going, leading you four to assist. The mission is rescue and recovery - of a sort. An insider in a foreign nation got their hands on a piece of pretty valuable info that Lord Orochimaru wants to get his hands on. Not too long ago I attempted to assist our man with getting their hands on it - but the village is extremely well guarded and I was decided it was best to retreat. I can't go back, and this job's going to require a team. So we're sending you."

This was great! Naruto was practically squirming by this point. Zaku seemed just as excited next to him. Kin was nervous and seemed tense, and Dosu was as impassive as ever. Finally they were going on a mission! They were leaving the compound! Naruto would get his first breaths of outside air since he'd been brought here, which had been months. Thinking about it, he thought it strange they were letting him leave so soon - but he realized that if they were accompanied by a member of the Sound Four, there was little chance of him escaping. Even if he wanted to.

"Tayuya will be taking charge." Sakon explained - which also helped Naruto understand why Tayuya seemed even more annoyed than usual. She was in a fowl mood earlier too. Still, he was more comfortable with her, or even Kidomaru, than he was if it was Jirobo. He was thankful the larger boy wasn't picked as their guardian. "She'll be leading you to your destination, at which point she'll explain your method of entry. Remember, the village is extremely well protected by professional shinobi. Most of them wouldn't hold a candle to us; but against you four, it's a different story."

"And what village might this be...?" Dosu questioned, his voice steady.

"You'll be going to Takigakure." It was then that Naruto's heart sank. Takigakure - it was a name he'd known well. He'd ingrained it into his mind. Their symbol, that of an arrow, signifying a waterfall, was the very same that those kunoichi he fled from had on their headbands. It was they that were responsible for him being torn from his home in the first place. Everything that had happened since then had inevitably turned out for the better, but even so he held a certain amount of contempt, even hatred, towards them. They caused him pain. He was not eager to be anywhere near that village, or be anywhere near the kunoichi who came from it. Still, he held his tongue. If that was where Orochimaru needed them, then it was where he would go. With any luck, they would be in and out before anyone even knew they were there.

"The village is only a few days march from here. And we have a safe house relatively close to their village where you'll stop to rest and prepare. Just be warned, as I said they are extremely well guarded. No one enters or leaves without them knowing. If you're not careful, you'll be discovered, captured, or killed. And you will not be missed." Sakon's warning forced a shiver down Naruto's spine. An ominous silence crept into the room. The excitement of before had somehow been overlapped by a fearful dread, as Naruto understood this could be his final moments of peace before an untimely demise.

"Ahh don't be so down, Sakon." Kidomaru laughed, patting Zaku and Naruto on their backs. "These guys aren't chumps, they can handle themselves. Right? And besides, Tayuya will be there too. They'll be fine!" Somehow, Kidomaru's nonchalant and uncaring attitude made the uneasiness dwindle. He was right. They knew how to take care of themselves. This mission would be over and done with, and everything would turn out A-Okay. "...Or, y'know, they could die a slow and painful death, and we'd never know."

Thanks Kidomaru. You're the best.

Tayuya had pulled them off to the side once the others had left, confronting Naruto and his friends before they left the chamber. She had a cold, hard look in her eyes that Naruto had seen many times, but somehow she seemed even more tense than usual. "Look, I ain't gonna' dumb this down for you. This shit is the real deal, and honest to Kami I'm not gonna' feel a damn thing if you guys kick the can. That said..." She paused, as if trying to find the words, "...You idiots are my responsibility. So if you die, I take heat for it. _D_ _on't fucking die_. You do everything I say and nothing I don't, you hear? I say jump, you jump. I say run, you run. I say go batshit crazy, you better go as ballistic as you goddamn well can. When we get close to the village I don't want to hear a word unless I say you can talk. Questions?"

One second.

"Good." She continued, but while she talked she beckoned them to follow her down a nearby hall. "This trashcan of a village we're going to is one of the best defended dumps on the continent. Hell a couple decades ago Konoha, Iwa, and Kiri ALL couldn't break down its walls. And that's saying something, considering."

"What makes it so well defended?" Zaku interrupted. Naruto and Kin both shot him a warning glance, but it went unheeded. "Their shinobi can't be that strong, they ain't even one of the Great Nations."

Tayuya looked over her shoulder and gave Zaku a terrifying glare. It was an easy tell, she was pissed and not in the mood. "I say you could talk, pipes?" He shuddered and raised his hands in front of him, shaking his head. "Then shut up and let me talk. The place is on an island under one giant ass tree, totally surrounded by water. There's only one bridge leading to the village itself. Sure, any proper shinobi could just cross the water, but that puts Taki's shinobi at the advantage. There's never been any point. High risk, low reward. You do the math. Only an idiot would try to go in there, kunai flying. So we're not going to. Sakon, as clumsy as he was, still managed to jot down a diagram of the village before he left. While I meet and deal with the contact, you three are going to make your way to positions I mark with enough explosive tags to level a mountain. Once we're done, blow the tags, and we leave."

As she explained the last part, she opened a door for them, revealing an armory of sorts. Kunai, shuriken, senbon, swords, and all other manner of tools of their trade hid within. There was a sealed crate on the far side of the dark room, which Tayuya put her hand over. When she removed it, a previously invisible paper tag was revealed, with an array of black markings scrawled over it. Shortly, there was a thud, and Tayuya threw off the lid of the box and withdrew three scrolls, each with a series of explosive tags safely stored within.

"Why do we need to destroy the village?" Naruto asked, deciding to face the wrath of Tayuya's glare anyways. Oddly enough, she held it in, but still gave him a look that could kill.

"We're not going to. The village is going to be on high alert after Sakon's failure. We'll be lucky if we can actually get in. I doubt we'll be able to just walk out. The tags are going to be our contingency. If the mission goes south, we'll create so much carnage the village's shinobi won't be able to deal with that and stopping people from leaving." After she'd resealed the crate, she moved passed them to the door. As she walked through the entrance, she turned to face them, and held what Naruto could imagine was the first real smile she'd ever shown.

"Plus, really big explosions are fucking awesome."

* * *

 **End for chapter three! ^.^ Again, I can't apologize enough for the delay. I wanted this out like two weeks ago. T-T If all goes well, and work and social life doesn't get in the way, I should have the next chapter up in two weeks time. Here's hoping!**

 **If you enjoyed the read, don't forget to follow/favorite the story! Also feel free to leave a review with any comments, questions, or advice you might have. I greatly appreciate the feedback!**

 **Until next time! Hope ya'll have a great week!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey all! Back again with Chapter Four of Naruto: Lost Child! I *almost* had this one done in time for last weekend, but a handful of really long and busy days at work combined with other nonsense drove me off track, and I was unable to. But! It's here now, so I'm happy! And you're happy! And, uh, Naruto's kinda happy, I guess?**

 **Review time!**

 **LonelyAxolotl - Thank you! Quite right; life is the bane in every writers existence! D: I've always loved the idea of a wind-based Naruto, or at least one that utilizes it properly. He's only going to get better! As for Orochimaru, hmm... Maybe. ;) Or maybe it'll be something else entirely! The cafeteria obviously was based off a typical school or even a mall. I don't like the idea that Orochimaru doesn't take care of his people. It wouldn't make sense to breed strong shinobi but feed them only rice. The way it's restocked _will_ be touched on. For the Chunin Exams, I do have an arc planned, although some of the finer details are still up in the air. And on Sasuke - Well... We'll have to wait and see! xD Sorry not too many proper answers here, lots of plot points!**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Ooh yeah! She and Deidara would get along great. xD**

 **Kurokawa Kazunari - Thank you! I hope I continue to enjoy!**

 **LtFuzzleButt - Haha, we'll see! xD**

 **amaskandamirror - Thank you! Naruto's got a long way to go, but he's getting there! That and the rest of the cast too, they'll get their moment!**

 **AkashimaUchiha - Thank you! I tried not to have them change too much given that it was only a six month period of time. It wouldn't make sense for a drastic change to happen there, but it would be enough time to grow a bit stronger, as well as form the typical friendship people do. Also, I do have an arc planned from Konoha's perspective! So stay tuned! ;)**

 **To all the rest, THANK YOU so much! All the feedback has been amazing and I greatly appreciate it!**

 **Anywho! I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter IV**

 **Journey**

A flickering candle cast its pulsating red light on rows upon rows of ninja tools. Tayuya had them place all their weapons and objects they'd be bringing on the floor, so she could 'make sure they were set'. All the standard weapons, kunai, shuriken, and so forth were to be divvied out equally, and the four of them would carry equivalent portions of explosive tags. Zaku bickered with Kin because all the senbon were being given to her. It seemed he felt left out, even though he'd never actually use them. Dosu fiddled with his amplifier, said something about adjusting its frequency. Tayuya inspected the tools, every once in a while she grumbled something incoherent and tossed one weapon to the side. Apparently, it had been some time since most of them had been used, so there were some that didn't meet her expectations.

Naruto ignored them. He sat, legs crossed, and stared at the two massive wooden doors that made up the entrance to the Otogakure facility. Just on the other side of those doors was a world Naruto had missed for so long. A world of blue skies and tall, green trees. Chirping birds and scurrying squirrels. The world he'd known before flashed before his eyes, a picture perfect memory of how things used to be. But would it be the same? What if, on the other end of that door, was a land so very different from what he knew? Naruto had never ventured far from Konoha on his own, yet now he dwelt in a place that was far removed from the Land of Fire. From what he'd gathered from the others, it was indeed a forest, but when he asked about the beautiful sunsets and cool evening breezes, they feigned ignorance.

Was that intentional? Or did they simply not know? Even his friends couldn't answer his questions, and Tayuya wouldn't.

It was a question soon to be answered. While Naruto wished the circumstances could be slightly different (he would prefer to leave of his own free will, rather than because he had to), his eagerness for the mission and to finally see the outdoors again superseded any qualm. Very soon, he would be outside again. That was the only thing that mattered. Dozens of scenarios crossed his mind, fantastic visions of the outdoor scenery that couldn't possibly be true. Trees the size of mountains, reaching far off into the sky like grasping fingers. Or perhaps snow - he wasn't sure if it snowed outside in Otogakure. Come to think of it, the idea had never occurred to him. It had been so very long since he'd seen snow...

"Naruto?" A voice broke his concentration, and he tore his gaze away from the doors. Kin sat across from him, separated by kunai on the floor. "Hey, I know you're excited, but you need to pack. Sooner you're done, sooner we leave, right?"

He nodded. "Right." She was right of course. He wasn't going to get through those doors by just sitting on his butt and staring. He turned back to the door momentarily, and went about collecting his share of the weapons and equipment. It was interesting to him, preparing for a mission in this fashion. He'd always dreamed of vast arsenals of shinobi tools held aloft in glass canisters, sealed away in heavily guarded rooms. He'd imagined standing in a line with a team, as their leader gave them some glorious speech to rally and moralize them. But here, he realized how quaint it really could be. How tactical. Tayuya went so far as to ensure they weren't carrying too much, arguing that they would only lose speed the more weight they brought.

Finally, they were ready. Tayuya silently collected her own devices, most noticeably a silver flute she hid in her pocket separate from her other belongings; then she rose, and walked to the doors. The four of them followed her, none more excited yet apprehensive than Naruto. This was it. He would have the view he'd wanted, the view he'd seen only in memories. The red-headed girl looked over her shoulder at them one last time, nodded her head, and pushed the doors open. They creaked noisily with all the groaning of hinges long in need of oiling, and once the ear-scorning sound faded there was- silence.

Naught, but silence.

A darkness surrounded the world outside the facility. Naruto could see a solitary stairway flanked by stone walls that led upwards, which then flattened out into a bumpy and broken forest earth. Large and thick trees formed an endless canopy of branches and leaves above them, but it was veiled by a blanket of shadow. Naruto gasped silently at the sight. It was like a twisted form of what surrounded Konoha; a haunted forest where even the animals themselves remained still and quiet. This was not at all what he expected. If anything, he'd thought a village called Otogakure, a village hidden by sound, would be shrouded by the noise of wildlife; chirping birds and howling wolves, and perhaps even the roar of waterfalls. But it seemed it was the complete opposite. Rather than a village hidden by sound, it was a village with no sound at all.

Tayuya closed the entrance behind them. Again the large doors creaked noisily, a sound echoed through the forest and deep into the void. Naruto attempted to peer further into the distance, but it was impossible to see too far with the dim light. "There's a reason this place hasn't been found. It's a pit in the ground, in a place no one would ever want to go." He agreed with Dosu's assessment. Orochimaru had chosen the perfect spot to build his base, where he could do whatever he wished without heed to the prying eyes of the rest of the world.

The scenery was sobering, humbling even. Naruto now realized just how vast the world was and how different it could be. Where he imagined something very similar to how it was in his old home, and while indeed it was a forest very much like his own, still it was so distant from what he'd envisioned. At least there was fresh air, with the sprinkling scent of the wet, cool earth adrift in the wind. That alone was something he'd missed terribly. It was so humid and stuffy inside the Otogakure compound, if he hadn't spent his days training and fighting, it would have driven him mad long ago. Tayuya rounded them together, made one last quick overview of their belongings, and led them deeper into the forest.

They walked in a sort of staggered line, Tayuya at the lead but otherwise with little formation. "We'll take our time until we reach the border." She'd said along the way, "Once we reach the Mountains' Graveyard we'll pick up speed, so don't fall behind."

The Mountains' Graveyard. Naruto had heard rumors about that place. A handful of Otogakure teams, reportedly along with other shinobi from other villages, had gone missing at varying points of time while traversing the tall mountain ranges. Otherwise, little was known. He would have questioned why they were going through them and not around, but he held his tongue. If that was the route Tayuya wanted to take, they would take it - and it mattered little if they had any objections to it.

The forest stretched on for many miles, but as they walked Naruto noted the trees thinning, the canopy lightening, and more and more animals scurrying across the floor. Birds began chirping, and a more lively nature replaced the eerie and quiet one. There were more rivers here, some flowing north towards the shore, others further inland where they would inevitably meet with larger bodies of water. The land began to slant upwards, more hills and steeper inclines separating other areas of flatland. They'd passed many clearings of grass where the woodland did not continue, but in general their trek was through forested and floral territory.

Naruto spent most of the trip in silence - Tayuya had instructed them to do so - but he was more concerned with watching the land unfold around them. There were so many plants and animals unfamiliar to him, birds and lizards and bugs of colors and patterns he'd never seen. Even the flowers seemed so foreign to him. As they skipped across rivers, he'd spotted fish with large, gaping mouths and smaller bodies leaping out of the water, flying inches across, before splashing back below the surface. This place was much more like he'd imagined, unlike the land surrounding Otogakure. He'd found himself almost skipping in parts, stopping himself only so his companions wouldn't tease him. This part of the journey was enjoyable. He thought that perhaps if he was allowed to roam freely once the mission was over, he would return here, find a calm and gentle spot, and take a long nap.

After some time, an hour or more of walking, towering and grey mountains could be seen rising up above the trees. They were still some distance off, and Naruto was amazed at their size. They each were comparable to the Hokage Monument in height, and there were so many. The further they trekked, the closer the mountain range came, and eventually they found themselves passing by the base of one of those massive constructs of nature. Naruto had to crane his neck to see the very top. The mountains themselves were separated by rows of overgrown woodland and shrubs, but there were also parts where the rocks formed large caverns where there was little growth. Tayuya steered them away from those caves. Naruto had an odd feeling, as if something watched them from within.

This place was strange. Perhaps it was the name, but Naruto felt uneasy as they drew closer to the mountains. "Why do they call it the 'Mountains Graveyard' anyways?" He finally asked, inadvertently whispering.

"There's two reasons." Kin replied, "One, is because of how dead the mountains are here. There's no life on any of them, see?" She pointed to the closest one, although any would have been fine. As she'd stated, all the mountains and hills here seemed entirely lifeless, neither tree nor bush grew on them. That much made sense.

"What's the second reason?"

"The second - well..." This time, Kin pointed off in the distance, through the trees. Naruto had to stare for several moments before he finally realized what he was looking at. There, half buried in the ground, was a gigantic skeleton. It seemed to belong to that of a beast, and a larger one than Naruto had ever seen. It appeared almost to have the head of a bull, with two massive horns on either side, and yet it had the paws of a cat; including what must have once been incredibly sharp claws. Naruto was very grateful it was dead and a skeleton. He would hate to ever meet a live one.

"Wha- What is that?" He stuttered, still amazed at its size.

"We don't know. Some have taken to calling it a Colossus." Dosu stated, "No one has ever seen a live one, fortunately."

"I think we could take it." Zaku added, elbowing Naruto's arm. "I mean, it died right? That means it can't have been that tough."

"Or it means it was killed by something worse." The idea that there existed something bigger and badder than the decayed beast before them was a terrible thought. Naruto decided there wasn't anything to worry about, that they hadn't ever been seen so they likely were extinct, but even so he felt as if he would have nightmares the next time he slept. He was sure the Kyuubi would enjoy that.

"No more chatting." Tayuya reminded them sternly, "We'll be running from this point on." There were no complaints. The mountains held a mysterious, even ghostly aura; one they were all very keen to leave behind. So they ran, dashing through the trees that stood between the tall, spiraling hills. The forest faded away as the mountains drew near, instead turning to almost marshy grassland in wide ravines, with foot deep streams crossing between overgrown patches of grass and weeds. Here the sun was blotched out by a tremendous shadow, tall pillars of stone stood like rows of jagged fangs. The path continued to narrow, becoming nothing more than a twisting and turning climb through the crags.

Naruto had hardly noticed how far up they'd traveled until, on looking over in a breach of the mountain, he was greeted with an overlook of a vast canyon. Trees and shrubs were interspersed between craggy cliffs, more of those large skeletons, and other areas that remained dead and barren. Then, as his gaze shifted northward, he saw the earth drop away; a sheer cliff that formed a tall and strong wall against the mighty ocean. Monstrous thunder clouds sparked and flashed in the distant sky. He stopped in his tracks, struck by the view before him. He'd never seen anything like it. While he had been to the top of the Hokage Monument, many times in fact, the sight there and what he saw now were as different as night and day.

Konoha was civilized, maintained, peaceful. This was wild, untamed, and chaotic. But also beautiful. The ocean itself shifted and churned with the waves, an amount of water Naruto never thought could exist. He'd heard tales of the oceans and vast seas, but never imagined it would be quite so massive. He couldn't even see where the water ended and the sky began, meshed together in shades of blue as they were.

"Naruto! C'mon!" Zaku called back, having stopped with the others. He stole one last look over, lost for breath, before racing to catch up with his team.

They traveled along the mountains further, in some places the path was steep and difficult, in others it was straight and mellow. Finally the uphill ravine opened up and leveled, revealing a plateau with a wide open plain. More grey and lonely mountains lay to the north, while the west and south ends of the plain seemed to go on and on forever. The ground before them was made of a sort of stone, with sparse patches of greenery breaking through cracks in the surface. The wind howled ferociously, a deafening roar across the field.

Still Tayuya ran, and they followed. She led them straight across the plateau, never once slowing her pace. The sun slowly fell towards the horizon in front of them, casting a golden red glow and painting the sky a variety of purple and dark blue; even while dark and ominous storm clouds churned above them. They had run only half an hour before the sun finally dropped out of view, and droplets of rain fell all around them. Soon the sprinkle had turned into a downpour, drenching and soaking them, and though it had long since darkened, the sky was lit by the brilliant and startling cracks of lightening. Thunder pounded in their ears. Naruto feared they would be struck by lightning, the clouds seemed so low from where they were.

He was very glad that it seemed Tayuya knew the way. She didn't falter or veer to the left or right, instead keeping her path forward in a single direction. The storm grew worse, the wind chilled them to the bone, and the thunder sounded as cannons to their ears. But they pressed on. Of all parts of the journey, this alone seemed the longest; the flat and barren terrain that surrounded them, coupled with a newfound sense of urgency thanks to the storm, heightened stress and nerve. The way before them seemed endless, and Naruto began to wonder if they would make it before dawn.

No sooner had he thought of having to make camp on this desolate plain, Tayuya motioned for the party to stop. It was now however for the reason Naruto supposed. She stood at the edge of a cliff, a jagged and rocky slope. The storm had created a fine sheet of mist that obscured their vision. Tayuya turned to them, shouting over the wind. "Follow me _exactly!_ Screw this up and you're dead!" Naruto was just about to ask what she meant when she leaped from their perch and vanished deep into the mist. Dosu immediately jumped after her, and Kin likewise after a moment of hesitation. Naruto and Zaku exchanged questioning looks before they followed.

He fell through the fog for several moments before he finally dropped below. Immediately his vision went from white, to green as he caught the brief sight of many, many tall and massive trees, before his sight went white again as he slammed his head against an extended branch. He flipped backwards and crashed into another, before bashing against a third and finally colliding painfully with the ground.

"Oh shit!" Zaku exclaimed as they ran up to him. Naruto groaned in pain, but nonetheless was still conscious in spite of his injuries.

"It's a good thing you've got a thick skull." He shot Kin a glare, though she was genuinely concerned. "You okay? Know who you are and all that?"

"Teuchi Ichiraku." He answered, it was difficult to reply with wit when his head was pounding.

"He's fine." Dosu added, hiding his amusement behind his bandages.

"Let's keep moving!" Tayuya didn't seem to care whether Naruto was injured or not, she was far more concerned with pressing on. On one hand, Naruto couldn't blame her. The storm seemed only to be getting worse, and with nightfall the more dangerous predators would begin lurking. On the other, he wished she would give a damn for just one second at least.

Zaku pulled him back to his feet, and Naruto could at last observe his new surroundings. Gone was the lifeless highland, giant rocks, and vast, open views. Now they found themselves deep within a lush and bountiful forest. This one, like that around Otogakure, was very different from what Naruto was used to. This was a jungle, with overgrown foliage and muddy pits in equal measure. The trees were tall, most with their tops hidden by the layer of fog above them, and varied in size between thin and gangling or bulky and strong. Birds fluttered happily among the branches here, chirping and singing in the rain. Water poured like raging falls down the mountain's edge, in some areas forming smaller lakes and joining rushing streams in others.

Tayuya had already dashed ahead, so there was little time to dwell and properly appreciate the beauty of this place. But Naruto knew he would like to return here. One day, maybe in the spring. But for the moment he resolved himself back to the task at hand. They had a deadline to meet. The path, if there was one that Tayuya followed, was unstable and unpredictable. In spots the bushes and shrubs were so overgrown they could barely see through them. Sometimes they had to walk around walls of entangled vines and roots, others they had to traverse dangerously strong rivers. The relentless storm and the lack of light did not make the journey an easy one.

After what felt like hours Tayuya finally brought them to a stop. Without a word she knelt and dug away at what appeared to be a regular shrub; and moments later she tore the plant away to reveal a stone-made trap door in the ground. This she pulled open, and motioned for them to head inside, which they were quick to oblige. It opened up into a small, empty room, with a single dark hallway leading further in. More importantly, it was dry. Tayuya sealed the door shut above her, leaving them in absolute blackness. They shivered in the cold, utterly drenched from head to toe. The redhead lit a torch that hung on the wall, and then lit another on the opposite side, bringing a warm glow to the room. She proceeded to do the same down the hall, lighting each torch as they passed them.

The hall led to a larger room, this one furnished with some basic things like beds and cabinets and supplies for hunting and killing. She briskly moved to the cupboards and removed bundles of blankets, throwing the four their own individual one.

"Dry yourselves off." She instructed, although they were already doing just that, "We'll spend the night here. This damn thunderstorm ain't gonna' let up." She also threw them each a scroll. "Eat up, that shit is all you're getting for tonight."

The red-trimmed scrolls, when unfolded, each held the same pattern scrawled across it in black ink. Naruto placed his on the ground, and then with a puff of smoke a cooked and skinned fish was spawned over the markings. Tayuya had taken it upon herself to pack rations for the squad, and she ensured that each of them had enough food to sustain them until they got back to Otogakure. Even if somehow they'd go through all their food before returning, there were plenty of wild animals, birds and fish alike, that they could hunt. Unfortunately, there was no way of keeping whatever she stored fresh and warm, only preserved. Thus, the dish was cold and bland.

Naruto briefly glanced to his friends, more specifically what came out of their scrolls. On noting it was all the same, he decided to not complain, and took his first tentative bites. On the bright side, it was not the worst thing he'd tasted. But it certainly made for a more drawn out meal.

They ate in silence for a while, listening to the rolling thunder. Naruto was thankful - whatever this base was made of, though it appeared to be carved out of stone, it shielded against the cold and the rain. He recalled countless hours of plugging holes in his old apartment in Konoha, and times when he'd vacated the building altogether in the worse storms. At the time he thought the village was poor and couldn't afford to repair it, but in time he realized that wasn't the case. His landlord was never the nicest of men. It seemed his hostility extended to more than just his attitude. Regardless, that was all in the past, and how he could brag that even an Otogakure hole in the ground was of a higher quality than that shoddy excuse for an apartment.

"We're only a couple hours from Takigakure." Tayuya began once they'd finished their meal. She gathered them together in the center of the room, and laid a localized map on the floor. She pointed first at where they were, an unmarked area in the jungle that encompassed the Land of Waterfalls, then to where the village was. She traced her finger in a short line close to the village. "The main road crosses here, wraps around Taki, and goes west to Iwa. Taki keeps checkpoints here, here, and here." Again, she traced the map. "They check every _single_ person who passes those points. Anyone who seems like they're remotely a threat are either interrogated or killed on the spot. We'll need to get through them without being spotted."

"Can't we just cross the water?" Kin asked, pointing at the large lake that surrounded Takigakure.

"No, they keep a group of sensor types watching that area at all times." Tayuya replied, "The only way to cross is by the bridge. We'll mask our chakra and blend in with other the other travelers. We can commandeer a trader's cart and use that to smuggle our equipment."

"They will check the cart." Dosu noted, "If they find any of our weapons, or the explosive tags, our cover will be blown immediately."

"We could set the explosives. We detonate them if we get discovered, which'll create enough of a distraction to get in the village. Just gotta' blend with the people fleeing the blast." Naruto thought it was a good plan - given the circumstances, it was the best he could think of, and he was proud that he'd come up with it at all. They had plenty of munition to use, and having one or two tags planted on the cart wouldn't effect the damage of their escape plan.

"If we blow the cart and start killing people, the village'll go on full alert, dumbass!" She scolded, crushing Naruto's ego just as fast as it'd been inflated. She paused, however, and stared down at the map with her hands at her sides. Then, she grinned, "Okay, new plan!"

New plan?! Had she not completely thought this through? They were under the impression Tayuya had a plan of entry from the get go, just that she hadn't felt the need to explain it. But was she actually just improvising? They all stared at her with a mix of disbelief and dread; she either didn't care or didn't notice. The idea that Tayuya had no clue how to actually get in to the village hadn't occurred to them, but now that it had, they each shared the same thought that they might not make it home, after all.

* * *

"This isn't gonna' work." Naruto grumbled as he tucked himself deeper into a dirty, tattered cloak. The group sat in darkness, surrounded by crates and barrels, every bump or rock in the road jolting the cart they hid in. It turned out, Tayuya's "new plan" was simply to wait alongside the road and play at being the helpless, lost children they definitely weren't. Admittedly, it hadn't taken long for a convoy of travelers to notice them, and fortune would have that the leader of this entourage was an elderly lady with too big a heart for her own good. She insisted they pack the kids up in one of the carts and escort them back to the village. That much had gone smoothly. He wasn't at all convinced the rest of the infiltration would work nearly as well. "For one, _he's_ covered in bandages!"

Dosu shrugged halfheartedly.

"And two, if they check under-"

"Relax blondie." Tayuya interrupted, herself put in a fouler mood by the ceaseless bouncing and shuddering of the wagon. "Everything will go perfectly. Just watch." He huffed and folded his arms. Perfectly, right. If the Takigakure shinobi were anything like their reputation indicated, and that was terrifying on its own, then this would be far from 'perfect'. This village had never been invaded in the entirety of its existence as an independent nation. While the same could not be said for spies, no one had ever been able to damage Takigakure to a great extent. Even Sakon was discovered and forced to flee, and he was one of Orochimaru's elites, alongside the other Sound Four.

They weren't far from the village now. It was only minutes before they reached the first checkpoint blocking their way. The convoy slowed to a halt, and Naruto heard voices coming from the front. At first they were muffled, but as he focused, they became clearer. "-search every part of the caravan." He winced, this would be the first test of Tayuya's plan. There were two carts before theirs, and one following. Only two of the four actually mattered.

"Remember: We're only kids." Tayuya whispered, tightening her tunic around her. They nodded quietly, and waited for their inevitable discovery. With any luck, the old lady would play along.

Several long moments passed before the investigators reached their wagon. The blanket laid over them was violently torn aside, revealing three rough looking men glaring down at them. They were adorned with dark grey flak jackets and all the weapons and pouches Naruto would expect of any professional shinobi - even those that were glorified guard dogs. The five of them cowered away, mostly because it was all part of the act, partly because the sun was downright blinding after being in the dark for so long. Kin even made a startlingly believable outcry, like she was legitimately surprised.

"Children?" One of the shinobi murmured. Naruto could hear the shuffling of the old woman's feet as she approached as quick as she could.

"Oh don't mind them, we found them on our way and decided we could at least bring them to safety." She explained, her voice frail and gentle, "You wouldn't be so cold as to leave them be on the road, where the wolves could get to them, would you?"

The men were quiet for a short while. Naruto dared enough to take a peek. One of them, who undoubtedly was the head, appeared to be in thought. "Well, they _are_ kids." He finally said, as he slowly turned to look at them. Cautious to not let his role slip, Naruto hastily shied away, giving the best 'weak and scared' appearance he could. "Just let the two other posts know about them in advance."

Thank you, grandma! Naruto exhaled a sigh of relief once the tarp had been replaced over them, and Zaku and Kin followed. Tayuya placed a finger over her lips to indicate they should remain quiet. After all, the shinobi were still close by, and if any of the group even whispered they'd likely be heard. Soon enough the guards gave the caravan the all clear to continue, and the wagon rolled forward - jolting and bouncing and shaking all the while. The process was repeated a second time, though when the shinobi came to examine their cart they were far more gentle in removing the covering. This inspection went quicker than the first, and Naruto thought that the guards at the second post were much more lazy and carefree than the ones at the first.

They were on their way again. The path evened out and the wheels hit less rocks and pebbles. Over the footsteps and conversations of the caravan they could hear running water, and the faint gushing sound of a waterfall roaring in the distance. The sound was all too familiar to Naruto. While before in the deeper jungle the air was heavy and humid, it had grown noticeably lighter, still moist but joined by a pleasant coolness. Curiosity on their surroundings was killing poor Naruto, but he restrained if only because Tayuya told him no. She said the image would only last as long as they kept their heads down.

Only one checkpoint to go. Likely, this would be the worst and most thorough. According to the map this last guard post lay right at the entrance to the bridge, meaning that anyone who wanted to get in to the village first had to get through them. If they weren't the most absolute lazy and pointless guards ever, they would be the best of the best. They would check everything, from the largest box to the smallest pocket. It would be a walk in the park once they got through, but if they were to be stopped - it would be there.

Once more the convoy came to a halt. A loud, authoritative voice commanded them to stop. They waited there for a time, the old, kind leader of the group conversed with the guards. Then they started moving again. Naruto immediately snapped his gaze to Tayuya, who stared solemnly at the floor of the cart in the darkness. The caravan continued. They didn't check the wagon. They waited a time before daring to speak, even knowing that the group now walked across the bridge leading to the village proper. "The hell was that?" Zaku was the first to say.

Tayuya didn't meet their questioning eyes. "They know." She answered.

"I told you this wouldn't work." Naruto grumbled, clenching his fingers against the wooden frame. "What now?"

"Just follow my lead." She said, it wasn't the most comforting of instructions. Now more than ever they could feel the danger, like a heavy curtain fallen on their shoulders. At any moment they could be set upon by scores of Takigakure shinobi, and without their weapons to fight back. Without a doubt they were skilled for their age, and yet that sort of onslaught would definitely destroy them. Even if they assumed it possible to reach the end of the bridge, what then? Tayuya had never told them what to do if they were discovered, only that they wouldn't be. Unbeknownst to them, Tayuya was not altogether displeased. Certainly she would have preferred they remain totally invisible to Takigakure's eyes, but she had not planned on that being the case. She wasn't about to bank on a plan that depended on them not being discovered. Not when Sakon had told them the village was already on high alert, after his botched mission. Not when considering this was Takigakure, a land that had never been successfully invaded.

Never would she be so foolish. Not on her life. Not on the life of her team.

They remained there in silence, until their craft rolled to a stop. Tayuya motioned for them to wait. It was that same elderly woman, a kind and gentle smile on her wrinkled and aged face, who removed the tarp from above them. "We're here little ones. Let's find someone who can take care of you, hm?" She beckoned for them to come with her. Tayuya rose from where she sat and tentatively crawled out of the cart; followed by the others.

What awaited them was a sight to behold, like something from a fairy tale. They stood on a dock of sorts, although it seemed more a fishing hub than that belonging to trade and travel. Understandably, since a good portion of fish swim from the surrounding rivers and find their homes in a massive lake that wrapped around them on all sides. Adjacent to the piers, and built further in on the island, were houses and buildings built of stone and wood, shaped as standing rectangles with triangular, plated roofs; the village was lit by lanterns hung from these. The roads crisscrossing through the city were of paved dirt, though there was a main road laid in stone. However, all of that was an afterthought. That which held their attention most, was The Tree!

They, save for Tayuya who had likely seen many things strange and unusual, had never beheld something quite so unimaginably massive. There, standing as a sentinel, a pillar if you will, in the very center of Takigakure was a tree; a tree that dwarfed everything around it, even its leaves shooting high above the forest that enclosed on the far side of the lake. Birds fluttered about in its branches, forming an endlessly shifting blanket of colors under the shadow of the leaves. So absolutely giant was the tree, those of its roots that jutted from the ground were comparable to the trunks of the trees deeper in the jungle. Naruto wondered if those trees weren't connected to this one.

The village was built around this tree, some buildings constructed around or even under those very same roots. Though he had to squint to see them, Naruto could make out further extensions of the village on the other side of the lake. However, the majority of town was centered on this side of the shore.

He could have stared at the scenery for hours, much like the view from the Mountain Graveyard the previous day, yet as before his attention was needed elsewhere. "Come along children." The elder instructed as she led them away from the convoy. Taking Kin by the hand. It was odd, they weren't so young as to be treated like toddlers, and yet this woman seemed to think they were. She walked along a good while, her head looking from building to building before she decided on one in particular. It was a larger shelter, a courtyard in front of it with a wall and a gate. There was a wooden and subtle sign hung above the door frame. It read: 'Waterfall Orphanage', and with the subtitle: 'Home to the Children of the Waterfall'.

Naruto stared long and hard at the sign. An orphanage; although this place was very removed from Konoha, still it brought forward unpleasant memories best forgotten. Children ran and laughed and played, and Naruto imagined himself watching on, longing and defeated, from the upper window. It had been a darker moment in his life. But now was not the time to dwell. They were in hostile territory now, of a sort, and needed to stay on their toes. It wouldn't do to be caught out of character.

The quaint green door was opened for them as they approached. Naruto could feel the curious looks and watchful eyes following their every move, as many of the children ceased their play to observe. A shorter woman with a pleasant complexion and round glasses greeted them. Her brown hair was done up in a professional, yet well groomed bun, and she wore a white vest over a dark blue dress. "Hello." She smiled, and from there the adults descended into their businesses and discussions that I wish not to bore you with here. Suffice to say an agreement was reached, and that Tayuya, Naruto, and the rest would all stay there for a time.

It was there that they would say goodbye to the kind elderly woman who was gracious enough to guide them along. She would never learn who it was she had helped, and where their allegiances truly lay. The Orphanage Mother, or so she was called, led them to their rooms. It was improper, even for siblings, for the boys and the girls to share a room, so they were granted separate lodgings across the hall from each other, Tayuya with Kin, and Naruto with Dosu and with Zaku. The rooms were comfortable, warm, and friendly; not at all like the place Naruto once had to stay, as he would recall. But they could not stay, as much as the comforts and luxuries they were given tempted them to, and soon they were back to the task at hand.

"No weapons." Zaku whispered, huddled together in a circle around a dark brown fur rug. "Our explosive tags are still hidden with the old hag." He received a smack from Kin for that. "How're we supposed to get out of this one?"

"What about the guards?" That was Naruto's chief concern. "If they know, why haven't they attacked us yet? They can, y'know?" It was a minor verbal tic, but one that spoke of the nervousness he tried so hard to hide.

"We also need to locate your contact." Dosu mused, ever thoughtful. "There isn't much time."

"Is meeting with him even safe? Aren't they watching us?" Kin was the last, and that was enough to put Tayuya over the edge.

"Okay, everyone shut the fuck up, or I will start beating the living shit out of each of you." She defied expectations by at least whispering, keeping her voice low and steady. Surely if the caretaker had heard her, she would have fainted in shock. "Look. One, everything is still going to plan. Two, I told you, no chatting unless I tell you. And three, I also told you, do exactly as I say. So shut your traps, and listen." They sat and waited, expectantly. After surveying the group for little while, waiting to see if any dared to break her rule, she continued. "Tonight, I'm getting everything from the caravan. You leave that to me. As for Takigakure's shinobi, they're gonna' be watching the traders and the wrinkled witch, like the idiots they are. Because we're just orphans, and everyone's too stupid to think any different. Once we have the stuff, we can find our guy, get _his_ stuff, and get the fireworks started. Simple."

Of course none of that really explained much, like how she was going to get their weapons back without getting spotted, or the how of them finding the person they needed to find. It didn't tell them why, for a village that was supposed to be on 'high alert', it seemed more or less calm and peaceful as a summer day. She told them none of those things, and many more questions and thoughts and worries they had went unaddressed. But she did tell them that for now they weren't suspected, and that was a relief. She also seemed incredibly confident as ever, which relieved them even more. So for the moment they were content to do as they were told, to be seen, not heard.

Then there was a creak. Like the sound of pressure on an old and weary board of wood. Naruto heard it, Tayuya heard it, and Dosu heard it too; but Kin did not, and more importantly Zaku did not.

"Awesome. So the bombs are still in the plan." He said, his voice low but his excitement rising. "Can't wait to-" Tayuya lunged for him, and slapped her palm across his mouth, and brought a finger to her lips. She directed Naruto and Dosu to the closed door of their bedroom, an instruction they followed, Naruto shifting quietly and Dosu lurking close behind him. His ear to the wall, Naruto listened; impatient and tense. First there was no sound, and he thought perhaps it was just a settling in the building's frame, but then there was something. Like the soft exhale of air. Then followed footsteps, soft and tempered, and they approached the door.

Of course they thought it could be the caretaker, or a shinobi from the village come to spy on them, or maybe the caretaker was a shinobi herself and this was all a horrible ploy to catch them unawares. They were surprised when there was a gentle rat-atap knock on the door. Naruto looked to Dosu, who frowned under his mask, and then to Tayuya, who hesitated but then nodded. Naruto tensed, reached for the handle, and opened the door. On the other side was a little girl, who seemed a couple years younger than they, with dark green hair and amber eyes. She was dressed comfortably and casually, and not at all the shinobi they expected. She smiled at them cheerfully, a broad, happy grin.

"Hi! I'm Fu!"

* * *

 **End scene! I feel like I changed writing prose, or style, a bit here or there? Not sure... Anyways, I hope ya'll enjoyed! By the time of posting this, I've already made some progress on the next chapter, so with any luck it'll be all ready to go in two weeks time. Huzzah! :D As normal, don't forget to leave a review with any comments, questions, or advice! I love the feedback! Also a follow and a favorite so I can look at those fancy numbers and feel good about something! :D**

 **See you next time!**


	5. Friends And Enemies

**Hey all! Welcome back to Naruto Retold: Lost Child, Chapter Five! :D Finally met the two week update I wanted to, back when I first published. Although, admittedly I almost FORGOT to update, because work was a pain in the ass and I'm tired! xD**

 **Reviews!**

 **Azzzimoth - Thank you! I hope I continue to entertain! We've got a long way to go!**

 **LtFuzzleButt - Well, no, not exactly. You'll have to read on to find out! ;P**

 **Jagsboy - Thank you! I hope so too! xD**

 **AkashimaUchiha - Yeah not gonna' lie, last chapter was a filler of sorts, but it did serve it's purpose, as Naruto's first time seeing the outside world beyond the Land of Fire's borders. Plus maybe just a little bit of teasers for some other stuff planned... ;)**

 **draven32 - Thank you! Unfortunately no, it's just a Naruto/Tayuya story. Fu will be an important character down the line though!**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Thank you! Haha I was trying to go for suspense, though I can never tell if I do a good job with it since I know what's happening anyways! xD Her appearance here is a short one, but no less important!**

 **Thank you all for the support and kind words! It really means the world to me and I can't thank you all enough. I hope you all enjoy chapter five!**

* * *

 **Chapter V**

 **Friends And Enemies**

Of course, the appearance of a girl at the door caught them all off guard. When they expected at the least the caretaker, at most a squad of dangerous shinobi, and definitely an adult, you can imagine all of their surprise when the answer was none of those at all. Tayuya was surprised most of all, though she hid it well. She knew exactly who and what Fu was, and the last thing she ever thought would be for Taki to allow her anywhere near anyone else. But there she was right in front of them. How foolish could they be, or unknowing, to let their one and only Jinchuriki to be out in public? Still, their carelessness wasn't owing to arrogance, as the group would soon discover.

"Uh, hi." Naruto greeted, blinking, and altogether confused. "I'm, err-" He stuttered, and looked to Tayuya for guidance. She nodded; there was no harm in telling her their names. Other than Naruto, they were indeed orphans before being brought together by Orochimaru. As for Naruto, Takigakure was never on the best of terms with Konohagakure, all thanks to a battle between the two a generation prior. While rumors would eventually spread, direct contact wouldn't, and any word that would ultimately reach Konoha would only serve to distract them away from Oto and Orochimaru.

"I'm Naruto." He said, "This is Dosu, Zaku, Kin, and that's Tayuya." Dosu hummed something, Zaku grinned, and Kin waved politely. Tayuya stood there and glared, as she was prone to do.

"Hi hi!" She seemed excessively happy, and bounced and came a little closer. "Wanna' be friends?" She grinned.

So sincere was her question that Naruto hesitated. It was something he'd never been asked before, as much as he had asked others. Even with Zaku, Dosu, and Kin, it was not a friendship that formed with words, but something that happened over time. Kin appeared at his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'd love to, Fu. But we're not going to be here forever. We shouldn't..."

"Oh? You're leaving?" Fu asked with a frown and a tilted head. "But you just got here! How come?"

"Well," Kin paused for thought, "We have parents who aren't here right now, and they're coming to find us." This was Kin's way; she could always be counted on to come up with a story if you were ever in a pickle. She'd learned quickly how to convince the older Oto-nin of things beneficial to her. In truth, before she'd learned her technique and talent with genjutsu, her knack for improvising was the only reason she had survived at all.

The little girl made a disappointed sound, but she was persistent. "Oh! Oh! They won't be here for a while though right? So we can be friends!"

That much was more difficult to argue. Indeed even if it were true, there would be time for them to stay and play yet. But it wasn't true at all, and they had little intention of staying in that orphanage any longer than they needed to. They planned to wait just long enough that the mother wouldn't immediately notice their departure when they would quietly slip away and proceed on their task. This little girl complicated everything; even their cover, as what lost children on the road would know for sure their parents would come search for them? If Fu could not hold her tongue, she may well yet inadvertently inform either the mother, or one connected with their potential hunters, or worse yet a member of Takigakure's shinobi force themselves.

What to do then? They couldn't realistically silence young Fu, and she couldn't be trusted to be left alone. How to deal with this little problem?

Tayuya had an idea.

"Naruto," She said, "Why don't you play with her a bit."

"Me?" He replied, baffled that Tayuya would suggest it. Up until now, she hadn't let him out of her sight even once, and Naruto had noticed it. Why now, of all times, was she willing to? Because they were inside Takigakure?

"Just for a little." She continued, then sighed, "It's okay. Just- Don't do anything stupid." She held her tone, not necessarily out of respect for Fu, but in case anyone was listening. She felt they were still being watched, and thought that Takigakure's shinobi would make a move on Naruto if he separated from the group, especially if he was close to their Jinchuriki. If they did nothing at all, then they would be safe; and she would be able to tell Orochimaru that the village cared for their Jinchuriki about as much as a spoiled child cares for toys from the year before. Naruto would never know that Tayuya still watched him closely, neither would Fu, and she could protect them if anything went awry. While she could not match the bulk of Takigakure's armed forces, she could get them all out of a bind should they find themselves in one.

Fu was elated, and grabbed Naruto's hand and tugged at him. "C'mon! Let's go outside!" She was giddy and raced down the hall. Naruto gave the group one last glance before chasing off after her. Meanwhile, Tayuya told the others to keep a low profile, before she too left to head outside.

* * *

Naruto followed after Fu as fast as he could. He should have been faster than her, but her movements were unpredictable, and she zipped up and down the halls. He had little chance to examine the pictures and pots and plants along the walls, or the simple furniture in the kitchen or living room as they passed, though it all seemed friendly and quaint. She ran outside and into the yard, which was a reasonably sized thing. There was room enough for all the children, a play set with a swing, and it even wrapped around the building and to the back yard where more little ones laughed and cried.

It was not altogether different in design from the orphanage of his younger years, but he had little experience with any of it save for longingly staring out of his bedroom window. This feeling, that of having a friend of sorts and involuntarily playing tag, was foreign to him. He thought of returning to his old home and seeing if anything had changed, whether some of those kids were still there, and how the orphanage caretaker would treat him now that he was a little older. He decided that would be a while off yet, and that he had many things to accomplish before he would. Imagine, he told himself, their faces when they see him as a strong and capable shinobi, a legend throughout the land! They would regret all the mistreatment they ever gave him then, they would!

She led him back around the orphanage, where another swing and slide was set in the middle of a larger yard, with children racing in between wooden posts and tripping over tangled grass. Once again Naruto's eyes were met with that giant, majestic tree, and so amazed he was by it that he briefly forgot where he was at all. It seemed to him to stretch on miles above overhead and had a magical aura of sorts surrounding it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake away his gaze.

"Hey, hey, do you like it?" Fu asked him, from the side, with a quizzical glint to her eyes. Naruto nodded dumbly. "Since I was born here, I guess it's not as cool. Aren't there trees like that everywhere?"

He didn't answer at first, but eventually, he came to his senses and wondered how long he'd been caught staring. "There are trees where I come from, but they aren't that big." He admitted, though he remembered fondly the gentle forest that surrounded his home. "Not like that. Everything's so- big. I feel like an ant." Even the lake that surrounded the island was unlike anything Naruto had seen, and now that the sun began to set somewhere above the leaves, he saw it still sparkled and shone as if touched by daylight.

She giggled and poked him sharply in the side. "You're funny!" She laughed, "You can't be an ant! They're bugs! They're little and icky and get all over you. But you're nice! Not a bug."

That gave him pause. Inevitably it came from a little girl who by all accounts hardly knew him at all. But even so, "Nice?" he murmured, "No one has ever told me that one."

"Well, you're playing with me, and you said you'd be my friend! So you must be nice." She explained. He laughed at her innocent and naive logic. "Way nicer than everyone else here."

That final comment she almost whispered, and Naruto only barely caught it. He turned around and faced her fully, finally breaking from the tree. Although it was just a simple thing, and anyone like as not would have ignored it or thought it ordinary, Naruto was not convinced. He hadn't noticed it at first, but now looking back realized it entirely odd that no other child had come to invite Fu into their little games. "Fu," he started slowly, "Do you have many friends?"

She didn't answer immediately, and her once excited, happy image shifted and changed and became altogether depressed and sad. "No." She finally admitted after a short pause, "Most other kids ignore me. I don't think they like me very much." Her voice shuddered, and she gulped back tears. "Most adults around here don't treat me good, they yell at me and tell me to go away. Momma is nice, but she can't play, and she's busy with the other kids."

Now to most that sort of behavior would be unbecoming of any society, and any well-meaning person would get unnerved. But you can imagine well enough that the pieces were starting to come together for Naruto, who was not at all unfamiliar with just that sort of treatment. He began to consider Fu in an entirely different light from the energetic and innocent little girl he thought she was and now wondered if she was at all similar to him. The Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox, was one of nine tailed beasts, and he was one of nine containers. Is it possible, he thought, that Fu was just like him? Did she too hold a monster within her, and if so, did she know? Regardless, he saw her now as a relative of sorts, shared in burden, hated by their people. That she was treated the same or similar to how he was, that enraged him.

But then he thought of his friends, who accepted him and treated them as one of their own, and that calmed him. He thought of all that had happened and where he was now, how he'd grown stronger, smarter, and better as a whole. He realized just as he did not need his village to acknowledge him to be happy so Fu could be similar. She did not need her village. She needed a family.

So he smiled. "I'll be your friend, Fu."

She seemed surprised, but then she returned with a grin of her own, a single bubble of a tear threatening to burst from the corner of her eyes. "Silly! You're already my friend!" He supposed that much was true. So they laughed and played a while, chasing each other in turn, and doing all the games little children do when they're allowed. The others ignored them, most refusing to look in Fu's direction, for Naruto secretly threatened them with glares and clenched fists, and he was bigger than most of them. They continued long until after the day had set, and the village lit with torchlight. Fu had never been happier, pleased to at last have someone willing to play with her, and Naruto too felt a joy he hadn't felt before.

Regrettably, all things must inevitably come to an end. So it was that Naruto thought on their purpose here and that they wouldn't remain there long at all. Indeed, Tayuya hoped that they should return home before the turn of the week. They would meet with their contact the following night and make their escape on that occasion, and likely they would never return. It was a burden on his thoughts that distracted him from his play with Fu, and it wasn't long before she noticed. "Naruto?" She asked, "Why can't you all stay?"

It was a difficult question. "We don't belong here, Fu." He decided, shying away from the truth. She couldn't learn what they planned to do, how her home would likely burn around her, how they would vanish in the smoke. "Our parents will want us back home."

Fu remained silent for a time, and she appeared saddened and depressed. "You guys don't look like siblings." she finally said, trying to change the topic.

"We're not. Not exactly. They're not my birth brothers and sister, but we treat each other like we are." That much was true. "Zaku's like an annoying little brother, but I'm pretty sure we're the same age. He's loud and stubborn and bothers us all the time." He neglected to mention that he could tend to be very similar. It made them closer to twins, in a way. "Dosu's quiet, but he's really smart, and helps us all out whenever he can. But he's also kinda weird, and sometimes he starts bragging and won't shut up. Kin's nice, she always looks out for us and tries to keep us out of trouble. She does like to insult others though." They were far from perfect. He certainly wasn't either, and would never judge them for their faults. That didn't mean he couldn't find it agitating from time to time.

"What about the grumpy looking one? Um, Tayuya?" Fu asked of the red-headed girl.

That was a more difficult thing to answer. "Tayuya - She's not that friendly. She beats on us and scolds us a lot, and sometimes it feels like she doesn't care about us at all. But I think that isn't true. If she didn't care, then she wouldn't be hard on us. I think she acts tough because of Oro- our dad's wishes for her. She makes sure we're fed and taken care of."

"I think she's a good person." Fu agreed, nodding and smiling as if she knew all of them personally. He had to laugh at her naivety, even if he was just as guilty.

"Maybe." He said, "She's really good with her flute, too. She doesn't like to practice around people because they make fun of her, but I think it's pretty." Was that odd? He'd heard the sound echoed through the halls of Otogakure many an occasion. Often it reverberated in silence, like ghosts in a haunted place. Rarer, he'd listened as it's lonely sound cried among the bustle of the every day, unheard and forgotten. She was so abrasive he'd never worked up the nerve to ask her about it. He doubted she'd appreciate if he did. All the same, he liked to listen when he could. Those moments did not come often.

"Ooo." Fu was grinning ear to ear. "I wanna' hear her play!"

That caused Naruto to stutter and wince, and he instantly turned pale. "No! No, no, no. Don't ever talk to her about her flute, Fu. She'll get very angry if you do." By that, he meant she would undoubtedly turn against him, and likely hurt him in some way.

"Oh. Okay." She faltered and deflated. "I've never heard a flute before. We don't have any here."

"You don't? I thought a place like this would have lots of instruments." There was little chance for them to look for stores or shops or performers on the street. If they had the time, they would have found no such places or people, although there was a great big drum that beat when the village head would come forward to speak.

Fu shook her head. "No. There's no music here. We listen to the tree, and the birds and the water." Naruto stopped and listened, and found that as the night grew and people retreated to their homes, there was indeed sound like music. As he listened further, he could tell the chirps of the birds, which mingled with the distant sound of rushing falls. While it lacked a rhythm, the serenity and peace of it all matched that of any music he'd heard from any instrument. But what did she mean when she said she listened to the tree? He looked and saw Fu had her eyes closed now, and was smiling contently. Perplexed, he tried listening again, but the natural sounds of the world were all he heard.

What did she hear?

Try as he might, there was nothing else he could do. Somewhere above the thick canopy above he knew the moon shone brightly and the stars twinkled colorfully. The freakish storm had long moved on or dissipated; else it reared back for another strike. A cold wind rushed through the branches and splashed the water around the island, yet it was a wholesome chill. It was as if by the time the breeze reached far down below the tree to the land, it had lost the worst of its frosty sting. The other children had long fled from the dark back to the safety of the building proper, and Naruto felt it was time they do the same. He gave one last look to the magnificent tree, its branches still alive with the fluttering of birds even as late as it was. Then he led Fu back inside.

She yawned and stretched. "I had fun, Naruto!" she said, and he agreed. To have someone to play with, even if it was such simple games as tag or hide and seek, was something he had never experienced before; and he enjoyed every moment of it. He bade her goodnight, and that would have been the end of it until she called back to him from down the hall. "Hey, Naruto? Can we play tomorrow?"

He froze and stared down at the floor by his feet. Could they? He didn't know. Tayuya would likely want to leave the orphanage first thing in the morning, possibly before the break of dawn. He realized he might never see her again. He looked back at her hopeful face, and it nearly broke his heart. A knot formed in his throat, and he forced the best smile he could. "Yeah."

She leaped for joy and cheered, then waved goodnight and ran out of sight. Naruto dropped his mask the second she was gone. He told himself this was necessary, that it was for the mission. This was what being a shinobi was all about: secrecy. And yet, he'd met Fu, the first person who legitimately asked him to be her friend. It was a young, naive thing, but remember that Naruto lacked any friends at all when he was a young boy in Konoha. He wasn't so grown up that such a thing meant nothing to him. And now he would betray her, abandon her and leave, never to return, never to set foot in Takigakure ever again. That was his destiny, in becoming a powerful Otogakure shinobi.

No.

It wasn't worth it. He couldn't do it. In the end, although he would have to leave her behind, for now, he secretly promised her that he would return. He would come back for her, and show her she wasn't alone in a very dark, very cruel world. Perhaps it would take some time. Maybe she wouldn't even remember him when he did. But he resolved himself to that and walked towards their room with a new determination. He would not leave any friend of his behind. Not Zaku, Dosu, Kin - and not Fu. Just, he would have to wait at least until he was strong enough to resist Tayuya. She would never approve. At some point, it wouldn't matter, and her word and commands wouldn't mean anything at all. He would be free to do as he would. For now, however, her word was law, and it was a law he had to follow.

When he finally returned to his room he found Zaku laying on one of the beds, staring up at the ceiling; and Dosu resting off in the corner. Kin and Tayuya were nowhere to be seen. On asking, Zaku told him they'd returned to their room across the hall, Dosu adding that the caretaker had stopped by and informed them that curfew was at eight in the evening. He didn't bother remembering, deciding that tonight would be the only night it would be significant, and it wasn't all that important even now. Still, after the long journey and the restless night they'd had prior, he was eager to lay down and rest. So he yawned and stretched and, without even changing into the spare clothes that had been provided, he passed out snuggled up in the blankets of his bed.

* * *

Tayuya hadn't returned to her room, however. She had waited and watched Naruto and Fu play for some time, listening as they talked about things, some random, others personal, but never anything that would give away their mission. Naruto had been careful of that much. She'd rolled her eyes on numerous occasions, not appreciating that Naruto was embracing the childhood he never could; or at least, not admitting that she at least found it somewhat endearing. She scoffed at his talking about Zaku and Dosu and Kin; it was all so dramatic and feeling. Certainly, she thought of the other members of the Sound Four as acquaintances and partners, but friends? Siblings? That was all too much.

Then he started talking about her, the abrasiveness, the harshness; yet he felt like she cared. It was ridiculous! And frustrating. And - well, maybe the part about Orochimaru was just a little genuine. The others made fun of her for being the shortest, for being a girl, for having any interest at all in the more ladylike of things. So she grew to hate them. But that wasn't something she was ashamed to admit, she was who she was, and that was that. Naruto or her team or Orochimaru or anyone else telling her that made little difference, and she just didn't care. But, well, then he talked about her flute playing, and how he liked listening to it, and then she didn't know what to feel at all. Should she be disgusted? It was nice that someone appreciated her music, even if he was afraid to admit it. He was right too; she likely would get upset if anyone requested her to play, while flattered at the same time.

In any case, eventually Naruto and Fu had called it a night and gone back inside, and Tayuya put it all behind her. She had to retrieve their weapons and explosives from the merchant carts before the Takigakure shinobi could close in on their prize. If Tayuya were any amount of time late, this mission would become that much harder. She scurried from alley to alley, carefully keeping to the shadows and out of the streets as best she could. The rooftops were out of the question, as she'd be noticed immediately, but on the ground, she was more or less safe. She ran through the village until she came to a larger courtyard surrounded by buildings and with the tree's giant roots acting as a sort of roof overhead. The deserted caravan vehicles surrounded a statue of stone, in the image of one of Takigakure's ancient founders. The horses were taken elsewhere, likely to a place with hay and warmth.

Here was the trickier part. The carts were left alone, without even a guard or two to watch over them. Did that mean that the traveling merchants were already taken in by Taki's men for questioning? Were the vehicles being watched by hidden sentries? She scanned the rooftops and dark places where one could hide but found nothing. She patrolled around the outer edges of the town square for a time and waited. The danger wasn't in being captured, but in being discovered. If their enemy had any reason at all to suspect them, meeting with their informant would be all but impossible. Damn that Sakon for being found out! If he had only done his job more proper, none of this would be an issue at all.

The problem would eventually solve itself. As she watched from her hiding spot, a squad of people approached the caravan. They were dressed as Takigakure shinobi do, with dark grey vests and armed with weapons and tools of their trade. Four of them, strong and capable or careless and inexperienced she did not know. One knelt beside the very cart she had hidden their items on prior, confirming every suspicion that they knew. The other three stood watch while the fourth crawled underneath. Of course, they had discovered the ploy relatively early, by the first checkpoint if Tayuya had to guess. She had tied them to the bottom of it with rope, and hidden it by a large dark sheet taught against the wood. It was an easy thing to find; that wasn't the point. Though she would never admit it, a part of her plan banked on the guards at their posts becoming intimidated by the number of travelers with the caravan, and a great deal of luck that they would be dissuaded from immediately attacking if they knew there were children. Both factors had been met. They preferred to confirm the illegal weapons were there, then arrest the 'smugglers' when they had the advantage in number and location.

It was unkind of her to be sure, to pin a crime on the unsuspecting elderly woman and her entourage. But this was the way of the world, and she could not risk their future actions drawing attention to Otogakure or Orochimaru.

There was one 'weapon' of a sort she had not stored with the rest because it could not be considered one. She reached for her back pocket and retrieved her silver flute from its holster. By the time the shinobi had gathered all the weapons in a bundle and were prepared to leave, Tayuya had begun a sad and solitary tune. They stopped and listened, unsure both of the nature of the song and where it came from, then one after another they grew tired and weary. They had not the sense to check for genjutsu, which was unfortunate for them, but it would not have helped much. Hers was not your typical illusion. Soon as she was allowed once they'd fallen, she retrieved the weapons and the explosives and ran.

The journey back was not an easy one, nor was it short despite the little distance remaining; she had to crisscross, backtrack and never let herself in a straight line, and she was burdened by the weight of their weapons combined. Dosu's amplifier was not an easy thing to carry itself. Still, she staggered on, unsure if she was being followed or if she'd lost any chance pursuit. It was a blessing that her mind was sharp and memory sharper, she remembered the way by the tangled tree roots. It was very early in the morning, before the first coming of the morning light, that she, at last, climbed up through her temporary bedroom's window. Gently and quietly as a mouse, she slid the bundle through the opening and laid it on the floor, carefully shutting the glass window behind her. Kin dozed on the first of two beds, unaware of her entry, and Tayuya envied her. Unlike the others, she had not slept the night before and doubted she would sleep this night either for fear of being captured while lost in their dreams.

Instead, she counted what items she had, ensuring that everything was accounted for, and once done she sat quietly on her bed wiping her flute with a white cloth.

* * *

Morning came quickly, announced by the exuberant cry of the birds as they whisked among the buildings in flight. The group had roused each other from sleep, Naruto being the most difficult of them all. After saying his farewells to Fu and climbing under his comforters, he'd knocked out quickly and slept deeply, and when Zaku shook him, he complained bitterly. Still, eventually he was up, and they collected what equipment they could from the bundle. Tayuya explained there would be little time for sightseeing, that they must locate their informant as early as could be so that they might leave before Takigakure's watchmen became suspicious.

They ate their rations for the morning, tasteless and stale bread and chewy fish, and once fed they sneaked out of the orphanage with the horde of children racing out to the yard. Separating from them and leaving from right under the caretaker's nose proved to be a simple thing; she was distracted and otherwise preoccupied. Naruto gave a passing look over his shoulder as they left the building behind them. He would not see Fu again for quite some time.

Tayuya walked with them through the village, now bustling with workers and traders and all manner of others, as any populated place should be. Try as he could, Naruto was not able to discern a pattern in the path she led them on, and it felt as if they went in circles and walked through alleys and by shops more than once. They had to be vigilant too, for Tayuya stopped abruptly in spots, and they dared not bump into her. On those occasions she looked one way, then the other, as if she searched for something they couldn't see; then before they knew it, she continued without a word. It was odd behavior, and they did not know the reason for it, save that perhaps she searched for the informant among the busy people. It would have been an impossible task, however, so they thought against it.

As they traveled, at times they walked next to the lake, and in the early morning, Naruto spotted boats floating out on the water, with men aboard casting nets down. At other places, the boats parked at land, and some small quantities of fish and crab were laid out on the ground. The smell of these creatures cooked over a fire reached his nose, and his stomach growled intensely. He wished for the seasoned and well-prepared meals to be found in restaurants or back at Otogakure, over the bland rations they brought. Why couldn't they have packed some coin to pay for a meal?

After a while of walking and investigating, Tayuya brought them to a stop as she'd done many times before. This time she did not look in many directions, instead focusing under the balcony of a porch in front of a tiny home. There a man sat on a wooden rocking chair, a large bamboo hat shadowing his face and a small pipe for smoking at his lips. She led them towards him without delay or hesitation. As they approached, he looked up at them from under the rim of his hat and exhaled a puff of white smoke. "You're early." He grunted.

"I told you to expect us, Neishin." Tayuya growled back, "We're in a rush, so cut the shit and give it to me."

"If your friend hadn't screwed everything up, this wouldn't be such a big deal, now would it?" He snapped, before taking a breath and another pull at his pipe. "Look, I couldn't get what you want in time. Wasn't expecting you all to be here so soon. After the other guy split, I returned the info to where it belonged so they wouldn't suspect me, said I grabbed it while fighting your comrade during his escape."

"What, you can't just tell us what it said?" She crossed her arms as she spoke, and grew more and more frustrated.

"I can tell you the basics." He shrugged. He shifted his gaze, eyes tracing each person as they walked by. "Something about Iwagakure. Guess the old Tsuchikage is pressuring neighboring countries into alliances. Might interest your boss, since rumor is a target of this alliance could be your own land, among others. The fact of the matter is, that's only the basics, and there's a scroll in the council library that's got all the details I don't. Now I can get that back for you, but it'll take time, which means you lot need to have some patience."

"We don't have time." She replied.

"Again, whose fault is that? It ain't mine." Tayuya couldn't press his logic, and she could feel a tension mounting. It was time to go.

"You have until tonight. We can't wait any longer than that." She instructed, then turned and beckoned for them to follow. They ran some distance away from Neishin, who remained at his seat and didn't move at all if Naruto knew any different. Tayuya didn't stop until they were well away from the meeting place, and when she did, she turned to them. "This is absolute shit."

"Oh," Naruto grunted as if he didn't already know. If Tayuya hadn't made it clear to them that they were pressed for time by now, surely her interaction with the informant did. She was agitated, and that didn't help the group one bit. So he did the only sensible thing there was to do. "What do we do now?" He asked, and braced for impact.

"We wait." She answered, "There ain't much else we can do, since you're all useless and can't help get the info, and we don't even know what we'd be looking for anyways! So unless any of you have any better ideas, all we can do is wait for that dumbass to do his job."

That wasn't at all comforting, but it was about what they'd learned to expect. Tayuya was never known for her patience and had a reputation for saying whatever it was that was on her mind, and for getting upset and agitated at the slightest thing. Naruto had begun to wonder whether that was related to the others at Otogakure, or if it was just her in general. Much like he was harshly taught against pranks and tricks and all manner of other things he once did, perhaps Tayuya was treated similarly? You wouldn't think it because of her temperament, and her position as one of Orochimaru's elite, but it wasn't impossible.

In any case, that was all they could do for the moment. They went to the outskirts of the village, where after some investigating they discovered an abandoned house - or maybe it was a warehouse or store? - and they hid inside. Once there, Tayuya brought them together. "Okay, here's the deal. I don't think Neishin's as in the clear as he says. You won't be that close to something and get away with it without being watched for a while after. Chances are that means our cover is blown too. I don't think anyone followed us here, but you all need to be on guard now more than ever. We'll meet up with him again tonight, and when we do, you three will stay out of sight and watch my back. If I tell you to run, you run as far, and as fast as your weak-ass legs can carry you, you keep running all the way back to Otogakure, and if I'm not with you, you tell Kidomaru everything that happened. Hear me?"

There was little room to argue, nor did they want to. As it was the four of them were out of their depth in Takigakure, weren't convinced the mission could still be accomplished and weren't at all sure they would ever leave the village at all. Tayuya held the experience, and she always acted as though she could handle everything, and that was enough for them. At least, it was enough that they could trust in her abilities. Still, she hinted that everything might not turn out alright after all, and that was incredibly worrisome.

Time ran on. Tayuya rechecked each of their stashes, in particular, the explosive tags. There was enough between the four of them to cause extensive damage wherever they were placed, significant enough at least to create a much-needed distraction. Naruto wondered whether the Taki shinobi would behave as they hoped. He supposed the reasoning was if enough sites were detonated around the village they would be too hard pressed containing the destruction to be able to pursue, and yet there were the outlying guard posts. Wouldn't they interfere? Or was the idea that those stationed at the post would not pose a threat? He didn't know for sure, and at the time Tayuya was far too on edge to ask.

Lacking for time, they decided to set the explosives in advance. Tayuya grew more and more paranoid, often she snuck to the door of the empty shack and peered outside, and at other times she stopped everything and listened intently to nothing at all. Once the sun had begun to set, and the air darkened in the twilight, she entrusted them each with their tasks. "Find a spot near the tree. That damn thing is connected to everything in this shithole, so we damage it; we damage the whole island." She'd instructed, and Naruto felt inclined to rebel. He held his tongue, if only out of fear of having it cut. Fu held the tree in high regard, and he was not eager to damage or harm it even for the sake of their mission.

There wasn't a shred of doubt in his mind he would regret what was to come. To think, he thought of returning and meeting back up with Fu. If she ever found out what they planned, what they would do, she would never accept him as her friend. He, who took the one thing she held most dear and destroyed it. Naruto shuddered and felt that perhaps he should not return after all, but rather should stay far, far away. Better that Fu would never know the truth, better it remain hidden, then if Naruto faced her and lied about what they would do. Could he even lie about that?

They hid in the old abandoned shack for some time, until day drifted further into the silence of the night. Naruto and Zaku took to wrestling, although they had to be quiet to remain unnoticed, it helped pass the time. Shortly before sundown, Tayuya warned them they would soon leave again, and they prepared as well as they could. She had drawn out a map of sorts of the village proper, that she memorized from her brief exploration of it, and on four places were marked. Those would be their targets, where they would place their explosive tags as indiscriminately as they could. Another site was circled, and that was where they would meet up.

As soon as Tayuya gave her signal, they dispersed each a separate direction through the village. Zaku would head to the western edge of the village, where there were many homes and residences. Kin headed south, to the bridge, hers would be the last to be detonated as they crossed the water. Dosu was eastward, where a large part of Takigakure's fishery was located. Naruto went north, and when he arrived, he saw that the north of the village was mostly religious in nature. There was a temple, with a full wooden courtyard adorned by a garden, a beautiful tree standing in the middle. As he prowled along the yard's edge and peered over its wall, he saw that a collection of robed priests sat around the tree with their heads bowed in prayer.

He skirted around the temple, not daring to enter for fear of being noticed while carrying his burden. His target was not the building itself, but the large roots that twisted like prodding fingers.

Once he'd found a suitable spot, he knelt and retrieved the scroll that housed his explosives. It had been explained to him that the tags were explicitly prepared to react to the sound of Tayuya's flute, and would only activate if she recited a particular tune. Otherwise, they would remain dormant, and in time would even harmlessly degrade with the rain. He placed his explosives, five each in different spots and hidden in the shadows, and then left to meet up with the rest of his team. Unlike the others, his route to the bridge ran through where Tayuya would be meeting with Neishin.

The run there was swift and without incident, and once he was close enough, he hid in the shadows of the building and watched; this is what he saw.

Tayuya stood by the porch, arms crossed and frowning as she always did, and the same man as before stood near her. He thought it was someone entirely different at first because now he wore a thick cloak with a hood, and gone was his hat and the telling smell of his pipe. He strained to hear what was said between them. "What do you mean, gone?" Tayuya asked in an almost growl.

"Like I said, gone. They must've moved the scroll after I brought it back. Dunno' where." Neishin could be heard whispering. Naruto thought that odd. The man had seemed so sure he could get it before. He'd neglected to say he didn't know where it was, and only assumed it was where it was prior. That much would have been naive since it'd been stolen before. "I can find it, but I'll need more time."

"We don't have time, moron! I told you that already." She was visibly flustered and grew more agitated as they went.

"Now, now, don't be gettin' all upset. It ain't good to raise your voice." He replied, though by now Naruto suspected he cared far less than he said. "Look, you'll get your scroll with all the pretty little info that comes with, I promise you that. But, ah, first I need something from you."

Naruto could see Tayuya tense, and her hand inched towards her pocket. Was she reaching for her flute? As if on instinct, he grabbed a kunai from a pouch, and scanned their surroundings like a prey searching for its predator. He became consciously aware of how empty the street was, but how it felt like they weren't alone at all.

"See, all this running around and doing favors for you little snakes has earned me a good number of enemies. Thing is, made me some friends too. Some of those put a nice little price on Otonin heads, and I do believe there's five of you right here in this village. So, here's the deal. You and your cronies put down your weapons and come quietly, I'll tell ya' the full story of what the old scrooge in Iwa is up to, hell, maybe we'll even leave ya' alive if you cooperate well enough. Maybe." He'd drawn a hidden dagger by then, loosely holding it at his side with the tip aimed at Tayuya.

"You ignorant piece of absolute horse shit." Tayuya glowered and yanked the flute free. "Think you're too much for me?!"

"No." He said flatly, "I think _they_ are too much for you."

At his word a dozen or more Takigakure shinobi emerged, all surrounding the little home. Tayuya took a breath and brought the flute to her mouth. Neishin charged her before she could play as if he knew what she was capable of. He stabbed at her, and she dodged back, her flute turning from instrument to weapon as she parried the dagger. She spun like a dancer, three kunai flew from her hand, two stabbing deep into their unsuspecting targets, and the third being brushed aside. She pressed the opening, trodding over one of the newly fallen corpses just as fast as they collapsed to the ground. A new note was played by her flute, a melody heard in children's songs.

With all the speed she had, she jumped up above the porch, and the fight took to the rooftops. The shinobi pursued her, and there was a violent clashing of blades as she was swarmed by more and more enemies. They emerged from the shadows, and their numbers grew until there must have been at least thirty. She could not hope to fight off so many, and soon she would fall if she did not get help.

At least, that's what the Taki shinobi saw. What Naruto saw was a terribly angry Neishin who pressed against Tayuya's flute with his weapon. The other men and women who had come to his aid stood still, their heads dipped, and shoulders slumped as if they slept on their feet. "Bitch! What did you do?!"

"Trade secret jackass!" And she pushed him back. As for what she'd done, Naruto had seen clear as day. When she raised her flute to her lips, Neishin did not charge her at all. When the others had seen that, her illusion had already begun, and she'd already played her song. Two, at least, had fallen prey to the unquestioning reality that she'd put them in, and lay unconscious on the ground. Naruto was amazed! He knew she was strong, but how dangerous she truly was had eluded him, until now when he finally had a glimpse of it. He wondered if her range was limited, and that allowed him to remain unaffected, or whether her control over her flute's music was simply such that she could target some while ignoring others.

The battle between the two ended quickly. Tayuya defended against a flurry of strikes and slashes from Neishin's dagger, on the last of which she caught the tip of his blade by a notch in her flute, and with a twist, she knocked the weapon from his hands. It seemed to Naruto that Neishin was not a shinobi in his own right, and he was clumsy and uncoordinated and not at all dangerous. Defenseless, he tried in vain to strike her with a closed fist, but this she avoided with ease, caught him in the stomach with a drawn kunai, and in a final motion murdered him with a blade on his neck.

"Wow." Naruto mumbled as Tayuya walked towards him, aware that she kept her flute drawn. "That- That was scary. Great, but scary."

"It ain't over yet." She told him, looking back as three more ninjas dropped to the floor, unconscious. "There'll be more. Let's get the hell outta' here."

Naruto couldn't have agreed more, so without another word they ran from the scene. He could only imagine that Kidomaru would not be pleased to learn that Neishin was a traitor if they lived long enough to get back to Otogakure and tell them. As it was, he'd found a new respect for Tayuya. She beat on them all the time, and he knew she was strong, but now he felt as if her confidence was well founded. She told them to do as she said because as long as they did, she could protect them. And she would. He didn't fully believe that before, but seeing her defeat such large numbers with ease convinced him otherwise.

Now if only she weren't so angry all the time.

Naruto and Tayuya dashed through the village to the bridge, where the others should wait for them. The entire time they were pursued, and Tayuya played her flute and kept them safe, but it only worked for so long. Eventually, the enemy learned that she used genjutsu, and began taking precautions, and breaking through her defenses. At that point, their retreat became far more difficult, as they found themselves blocked at every spot and pushed away from the bridge entirely.

It was then that Tayuya stopped.

Naruto skidded and almost stumbled, and turned to yell back at her. "What are you doing?!"

"We can't outrun them!" She called, "Get the others and get out! Just like we planned!" She brought her flute to her lips once more, and Naruto knew just what she plotted. She would tell the charges to explode, She would start the chaos that would allow for them to escape. Everyone it seemed, except for Tayuya. She wasn't running, did she plan to sacrifice herself so they could get away? More importantly, was he going to leave her behind?

Not at all, he couldn't. So he did the only thing he knew. He too stopped, and he ran back beside her, grabbed her by the sleeve, and pulled her back. "The hell?!"

"Not yet!" He flashed through his hand seals, the ones he'd memorized so well. If only this would work. If he screwed this up - well, Tayuya could handle it if he did. He inhaled, felt the chakra well up in his stomach, fill his lungs, and surge as a vortex within. Then, he blew.

" **Futon: Fujinheki! (Wind Wall)** " As the wind blasted from his mouth, he knew all too well the risks. If he didn't control it just so, Tayuya could be caught in the blast. It could be either too strong, or too weak. As it was when he practiced with his friends before the journey's start, he could just as easily overexert himself and get himself killed, without doing anything at all. But, trying was better than doing nothing; when Tayuya was prepared to stay behind and fight seemingly unbeatable odds all so he and the others could get away and survive, he could not stand by and do nothing. The wind whipped around them, encapsulating them in an ever-expanding wall that pressed outwards, rushing as a hurricane against their enemy, deflecting weapons, destroying buildings, and harming their pursuers in equal measure.

When the dust settled, Naruto found he still had the will to stand and the strength to run, and Tayuya stared at him with wide eyes. "Are you kidding me?!" She shouted, but then shook her head and decided against whatever she would have said next, "Let's go!"

So stunned were the Takigakure shinobi by Naruto's sudden attack, they struggled to keep up with the two before they finally reached the bridge. The others were already there. "You guys okay?!" Zaku called for them as they approached. "We heard fighting."

"We're fine! Keep moving!" Tayuya demanded, and they were off across the bridge. By now, the village was alive with the screams and shouts of the populace, as they fled from the fighting. Takigakure shinobi threw kunai and senbon and shuriken their way, but Dosu intervened. He braced himself and channeled a wave of sound out from his amplifier, a force strong enough to block the incoming arrows. They'd run a short way over the bridge, closely followed by their foe, when Tayuya played her flute once more. She whistled a song that blew louder than all the chaos of the village, all the shouts of the pursuing ninja. It echoed through the forest valley, across the water, and all around that beautiful tree.

Then, there was an explosion behind them.

The water rippled and a blast of hot air shot over them. The platform across the lake rumbled and broke in parts. Naruto chanced a look over his shoulder and saw that although the tree still stood tall and proud, cracks like veins had ruptured along its sides. The village was fire, smoke rising far above the branches. Birds fled in all directions. They were no longer being chased. It was over. They escaped. They survived. Now they only needed to make it back to Otogakure and report back to Kidomaru. But Naruto didn't care about that. He couldn't think of it. There was only one thought on his mind as they fell to the water, the bridge falling apart beneath their feet — one phrase, repeated over and over, as they reached the shore and fled into the jungle.

 _'I'm sorry.'_

* * *

 **And scene! I was torn between a handful of different ways I wanted to handle this chapter. In the end I opted out of a few plot points I was going to push, and decided to include it in a future chapter instead, so we'll see how that goes! Regardless, I do apologize for Fu's short appearance here. She won't be becoming a major character juuuuust yet.**

 **I hope ya'll enjoyed! As always, feel free to leave a review with thoughts, questions, concerns, or advice, I love hearing from you guys! Also don't forget to follow to stay up to date when I get around to publishing the next chapter! ;)**

 **See ya'll next time!**


	6. Regret

**Hey all! Back again! Shorter chapter this time around, but no less important! ...Hopefully? Anyways! Little word of warning, I think this chapter turned out a little more sappy and feely than previous stuff, and admittely I was experimenting with a thing or two, so hopefully it turned out okay and ya'll enjoy it regardless. I certainly enjoyed writing it as I always do, but eh, I'm never sure if what I'm writing is quality or not. xD**

 **Review time!**

 **Jagsboy - Yep! Poor guy made a friend who wasn't a natural born killer then he's forced to dip and blow up her village in the same night! Not the way you wanna' end a friendship. D:**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Thank you! Haha well your questions will all be answered; eventually! xD I will say that it served as a sort of 'life-lesson' if you will, but that'll be elaborated on in this chapter, and further chapters in. Hurray for character development?**

 **KingPlotBunny - Thanks! I never cared for the 'giant chakra mechs' thing, as you accurately put it. Like this is a world of ninja! They should be sneaky and making the tough choices no one else can and stuff! D: So, that's what I strive for. Now, I won't lie the characters will obviously get stronger, but it'll be less Goku and more, err, not Goku. :P**

 **AkashimaUchiha - Thank you! I strive for consistency, so I'm glad I'm doing my job! (Said while one character's personality changes drastically for the chapter but that's plot)**

 **Thank you so much for all the kind reviews! You guys are literally awesome and I couldn't keep this up without all your support! Thank you! :D**

 **Anyways, again, this is a shorter chapter, so bear with me! More progress shall be made after this! I promise!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter VI**

 **Regret**

A dense smoke met their nostrils as they ran. The explosion behind them soon calmed but lighted into a fierce fire that expanded and burned. Naruto risked looking back and saw that the flames licked higher at the tree and fell upon the buildings adjacent. The village was fortunate to be surrounded by a wide and vast lake, and soon the fire would be snuffed out, but even so, the damage had been done not only to the tree but to the surrounding environment. The once fresh and moist air became thick and polluted. He did not know what song Fu heard from the tree, but he felt that it would be some time before it sang again.

They fled back to the jungle, leaving the lake behind them, engulfed by green once more. The further they went, the further the smell of burning ash dimmed, soon returning to the purity of how nature should have been. Shinobi from Takigakure no longer pursued them, turning back to address their burning village just as Tayuya had said they would. Let the intruders escape; they needed to lick their wounds. In the end, Tayuya had almost single-handedly dealt with the mission alone and certainly did the most damage. Then again, it was Naruto and the others who set the explosives. That alone hadn't been enough to secure their escape, yet aided by Tayuya's careful instruction, it had inevitably been their actions that allowed them to leave at all.

That was a bitter-sweet thing.

Likely Dosu and Zaku and Kin wouldn't care or even realize, but as they left Takigakure far behind them, Naruto felt haunted by Fu's memory. Left behind to deal with the blaze and chaos alone, forgotten, abandoned. Had she even survived the explosion? He hadn't dared think that their actions led to her death, hoping insanely that she'd been far, far away. But what if she hadn't? In all the rush and clamor of their retreat, he never stopped to realize how many they would hurt that were undeserving. He had until now failed to recognize that his actions did more than aid their daring escape, only now in the fleeting moments of peace did he understand that he had in all likelihood killed many, many people. The thought brought him to his knees, all breath torn from his body, imagined blood covering his hands.

"Oh Kami," He murmured softly as an ashen and red-speckled Fu came to his mind, lying motionless before him. "What have I done?"

Kin rushed to his side, followed by Zaku. "Naruto! What's wrong?" She asked him as Zaku tried to steady him to his feet. He felt heavy as if his arms carried weighted steel and he shouldered a significant burden. With some effort he looked forward and saw Dosu and Tayuya a little ways ahead, waiting for him. Dosu was impassive as he always seemed, but Tayuya was somehow different. She would be expected to be angry, frustrated, even yelling for him to keep up; yet at that moment she was none of those things. Instead, she gave him a look that was curious and foreign, something he'd seen from Kin time and again. Was she concerned?

He wobbled and struggled, but soon stood on his own and slapped Zaku on the shoulder. "I'm fine. Thanks."

"You sure? You look a little green." He observed, and it wasn't so far from the truth. Naruto felt like he would lose his breakfast at any moment. But now wasn't the time. They weren't out of the woods yet.

"Yeah, I'm good." Zaku hesitantly let him on his own but eyed him cautiously, and Kin hovered over his shoulder. Even Dosu wouldn't stop staring at him. "Hey! I'm okay! I'm just tired; legs gave out. Let's keep moving." And he started running again. He'd gone just far enough towards the front when Tayuya stopped him.

"We'll talk about it later." She told him slowly, just stern enough that he knew there was no questioning it. He nodded, and Tayuya led them onwards. The jungle was fresh and new, an entirely different direction from where they came. With good reason too, as Tayuya noted the old path would have long been flooded and mired by the rain and would have been treacherous. She took them more south, through drier land on the Land of Fire's border, where the woodland would be fair and gentle. But for now, they traversed the thick and murky jungle surrounding Takigakure, where every step felt as if it would land them waist deep in mud.

That fear was not entirely unjustified.

As they walked and made their way through the endless jungle, Naruto found his foot caught by a hidden log, and at once he plunged into the muck. He was fortunate and had enough sense to seal his lips shut, but even so, as he pulled himself from the swamp, grimy wet mud clung to his nose and his hair and everywhere else, and it was entirely unpleasant. Zaku laughed loudly, and Kin sniggered, while Dosu offered him a cloth from his pouch. Tayuya grimaced, "There's a river ahead; you can wash yourself off there." There she went again. Where was the agitated, uncaring Tayuya they'd known the day before? Was it because the mission was over? Was it because of the near-death experience? He was sure Tayuya had come close to death many times prior, so it surely wasn't that.

They trudged on, and as they went the green faded from bright and happy to dulled and mature. The ground leveled and became dry, the trees thinned and straightened, and the shrubs shrunk and grounded; Naruto realized he was closer to Konoha now. Birds chirped and fluttered, and squirrels scurried across the ground. The sound of a waterfall crashed a way off, and there was the calming sound of gently running water as of a river or stream. Tayuya brought the group to a stop and urged Naruto to hurry. "We're too close to Konoha. Clean yourself off fast; we need to keep moving." That Tayuya allowed any time at all for him to wash was a testament to how her attitude had changed, and Naruto still was unsure what it meant.

Still, he was far too annoyed and troubled otherwise to focus on it too much. He separated from the group and headed in the direction of the water. The land here was tempered and even, and he had no trouble finding his way to a break in the forest where a decent, calm stream bubbled and flowed away from a gushing waterfall. First, he needed to clean his clothes, and that he did agitated and flustered as he strangled his garments under the water. Once they were free of mud and grime, he set them aside to dry. Next, he had to wash his body of the filth, and that he did frustrated and bothered by all the sounds of people shouting and crying. Finally, his blond and wild hair was in desperate need of cleaning, and so he dipped under the water, clenched his head, and wept. Though he could not breathe and engulfed himself in the river, still he felt the tears sting his eyes and his throat tensed and choked.

Naruto was not a self-conscious person. He did not hesitate to stand in front of a crowd, do things entirely unusual and odd, and make an utter fool of himself. He'd spent the majority of his childhood doing precisely that. But he was also proud and strong of will, and never at all wanted anyone to see him suffer or depressed or broken. So it was there in that moment, under the water, secluded completely from everything around him, that he let himself go. _'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!'_ He tried in vain to plead with the phantoms that yelled in his ear. Silently under the water he wailed and sobbed and shivered until at last his lungs could take no more and he was forced by want of oxygen to return to the surface. When he did, he was left gasping for air, and all was silent save for the rushing waterfall and the settling water around him. The tears fell from his eyes still, but he'd regained a little of his composure.

By then his clothes were only a little damp, and he dried them as best he could. Doubtless, they would be fine as they ran. He rung out his shirt last of all and donned it in spite of it still being a little cold and heavy. It was then that he felt a little odd. Like a tingle on the back of his neck, a sensation that he couldn't place; yet he felt as if he was being watched. On his first inspection, he saw nothing, if the birds perched in the branches above were to be ignored. He stopped, and he listened, but couldn't discern anything beyond what sounds one would expect. He'd just about given up before he turned, and there sitting down next to a tree, almost hidden by the bushes, was a little green frog. It stared at him with wide eyes, unblinking and unmoved. "What the hell?" He grunted and took a step closer. Frogs weren't common in the Land of Fire, the climate was too dry for their tastes, so their numbers were small. It wasn't so abnormal to see one, yet why did it stare at him so? More curiously, his eyes settled on what appeared to be a dark blue robe draped over its tiny body.

Just as soon as he'd noticed the little creature, so it disappeared, scurrying away through the underbrush. Naruto thought to give chase but decided against it. Even supposing he could catch it, quick as it was, he needed to return to the group as fast as he could. So he left the river behind him and traced his steps back to where he'd left the others. He found them resting under the shadow of the trees, only Tayuya remaining up and alert. "Better?" She asked with a tone familiar to the Tayuya they knew so well.

"Yeah." Came his curt reply.

"Alright, get up shortcakes, time to go!" And so they were off again. The journey back to Otogakure was slower and less intense, but also the terrain remained more or less the same. The Land of Fire was a vast territory made up of an abundant forest, marked by occasional mountains and lakes, and ancient ruins that told the tales of civilizations and people long gone. Unlike their trip along the coast, where it was like a trip around the world. Though they went briskly, Tayuya took care not to overdraw their energy, and she allowed many breaks to rest their weary bodies. They were thankful to be sure, but as a result, night fell before they had even crossed out of the Land of Fire's border. "Orochimaru keeps a base nearby." She told them, to the surprise of no one. That he had hidden places all over the world by now was expected, and it would be a shock to find he didn't.

She led them down into a ravine of sorts, where there was a tiny stream of water snaking along the bottom, and it was colored green by abundant grasses and plants, and a shadow was cast over it by overhanging branches. In the middle of this was a slanted double door, like the entrance to a cellar. This Tayuya opened and ushered them inside. The darkness within was soon replaced by the all too familiar flicker of candlelight.

This space was unlike the other they visited on their journey to Takigakure. It was deeper and with many tunnels and halls digging deeper in. Naruto chanced a look into some of the rooms but found they were left mainly empty. Tayuya knew the place better and found them a spacious yet homely chamber with some basic furnishings, beds, and even a container filled with canned foods. There was a space to light a fire, and that they did, warmed by the comforting light. Inspecting the cabinets they found the food not altogether tasteless, and even some preserved fruits and nuts, and that was refreshing. It was not an entirely lousy space if a little lonely and creepy with the silence of it all.

"This was the first place Orochimaru built after he fled Konoha." Tayuya informed them after they'd asked. "Guess he didn't really have anything at the time, so there's nothing here. Planned to have a great big organization here or some shit, I don't know. Anyways, what I know is, he abandoned it since it was too close to Konoha, and he made a better base elsewhere. Every so often he sends a team to restock in case we need it, but no one's been sent in a while. We're damned lucky this food's still good."

At the very least, it explained why most of the rooms were emptied. Still, Naruto wondered on Orochimaru's intentions. Whatever it was likely linked to the creation of Otogakure, and yet he thought there might have been a different idea originally. It was difficult to imagine the motives and intentions of the man they knew so little about. But he'd given them a home, if not back in Otogakure than at the very least here in this empty safehouse, and that had earned all of their trust. "So we'll stay for the night. If we're quick, we can get back home by tomorrow evening, long as somebody doesn't take another mud bath." Naruto laughed with them if only to hide his annoyance.

The night was long. Naruto stared long at the dwindling fire, while the others slept and snored. Zaku was noisiest of all; he could be compared to a pig, and a few times Tayuya had thrown a thing at him, and at other times Kin had done the same. At one time Naruto would have joined in, but his thoughts were elsewhere. As he lay in the silence of the room the voices rang in his ears. He was sure they were only imagined; he hadn't been witness to any of the potential deaths he'd caused. That didn't make them sound any less real. It didn't make the picture of all the dead bodies at his feet any less horrifying. Or Fu's tearful crying any less heartbreaking. When he would drift to sleep he was haunted by nightmares; at times Naruto would stumble into a mass grave and be buried alive, at others he would murder countless dozens on a mere compulsion. He decided it was better to lie awake. There would be no sleep for him that night.

Day came eventually, though it was impossible to tell hidden within the underground tunnels. It was Tayuya who roused them; she seemed to have a sense of the time. Naruto supposed years of dwelling below the surface gave her that attunement. "Time to go." She'd said plainly, throwing Dosu his device and whisking her flute into a pocket. They had a quick meal, snuffed out the lights, and they were on their way. Their path would draw northwest, and the journey would be a quiet one with little to tell. They would finally arrive back home before sunset, although as they walked further in the woodland surrounding Otogakure, the forest grew dark and quiet just as Naruto remembered. It seemed this place was dark regardless of the time, only answerable perhaps by the closeness of the leaves; but he thought that some light should come through.

A man, clad in grey and with a black mask draped over his head, stood by the entrance as they approached, and he waved to them. "Welcome back. Lord Orochimaru is expecting you." He said and opened the doors. They stepped out of fresh nature and back into the stuffy and humid underground. Naruto was not eager to return and wasn't at all sure when he would ever be able to leave again, but he was all the same too tired and distracted to care. So it was that they said goodbye to the outside world, at least for a time.

It was nice to be home again of course. While Naruto had enjoyed experiencing life away from Otogakure, he'd found himself growing a little homesick and wanting the comfort of his bunk. He thought it odd that Konoha hadn't brought the same feeling, yet he did not question it too much. They were led down the halls, both unknown and familiar, passing by the other residents of Otogakure who either ignored them or gave them a nod in greeting. Soon they were led back to Orochimaru's throne; only now instead of an empty chair, the man himself sat in it, flanked by Kimimaro on one side and the other members of the Sound Four on the other. Tayuya dropped to a knee, and the others followed. Naruto felt like a peasant bowing to a king.

"Ah, welcome home." His voice resounded through the chamber, smooth and calm. There was little to be said about his emotions or feelings if any. "How was your trip?"

"Not perfect." She replied, standing. Naruto caught a glare sent towards Sakon. "Neishin was a traitor. He and other shinobi from Takigakure tried to trap us. We were forced to flee without the scroll. He did tell us that Iwagakure was on the move and wanted to expand, but without the actual scroll there's no way we can know for sure." Naruto was not at all familiar with this Tayuya. She'd been acting strangely since they left Takigakure, during the journey showing them compassion and understanding, and now being calm and matter-of-fact. But at least now Naruto had an explanation. She spoke to Orochimaru. Even Tayuya had to show respect and restraint while in his presence.

"Oh really?" He replied dryly, then laughed. "Old Ohnoki wants to play the conqueror yet again, does he? How amusing. Well, we shall see if he tries to take control of the Sound. In the meantime, how did you deal with poor Neishin?"

"He's dead. I killed him during our escape. But, he called a handful of Takigakure shinobi to his side. There were too many for us to deal with, so we set off explosives to draw them away." She made to continue, had Kimimaro not interrupted her.

"You did what?" He said slowly from Orochimaru's side. Naruto admittedly had forgotten about the tall and pale one; Orochimaru had stolen his attention. Now his gaze shifted and he caught on to the sheer bloodlust radiating off of Kimimaro. Was he going to kill them? Naruto shivered and shied away. "Did you not think that they would follow you back here? You endangered Otogakure by your actions. Doubtless, those from Taki will seek their revenge."

"Cool your tits." Tayuya growled, letting a small fraction of her usual self slip through. "We weren't followed. Sure they knew we were Otonin, but they don't know where we are. Not exactly. They'll never find us, either."

"Mind your tongue, girl." He spat, "Can you guarantee that?"

Naruto braced for the worst. Kimimaro was stronger than anyone in the room save Orochimaru, and should he attack the results would be bloody at best. But then, before his fears had been realized, there was a change. Had the room darkened? Naruto saw that many candles had been put out, but they were lively and bright moments ago. There was a chill in the air, not of a cool breeze but as if they were locked in an ancient cave. Then, it struck; an extreme sense of dread and horror radiated from a single source in the room, and all grew silent and desperate before it. Naruto gazed at Orochimaru, who seemed now with an unholy glow before him, like a terrible wraith howling unheard curses. But then it was over, and the feeling subsided.

There it was. Orochimaru had calmed them both in an instant, and Naruto was sure he saw the two tremble. He did not doubt his power, but he had wondered if the higher ranked and influential members of Otogakure held the same revere for Orochimaru that Naruto felt. Their reaction to him was proof. This man could tame a demon; they all, if not every single person in Otogakure, were like annoying little bugs in comparison. But it did make Naruto consider: why did Konoha push him out? Why would the embattled village disown one of its greatest and most potent shinobi and minds? Had he done something so horrible that it forced their hand? Or was it jealousy that drove them?

Maybe he could ask Orochimaru, one day. But not today.

"And how did these four fare? I do hope they didn't give you trouble." Naruto felt the air catch in his throat, and his heart pounded. Given everything that had happened, he hadn't spared a thought for their performance during the mission. He was more concerned with his actions and the consequences of them. Of shedding blood for the first time. Of hurting someone who trusted him. Inevitably, he thought he could take a bad review from Tayuya and any punishment that might bring if only he could take back the setting of the bombs.

"They did well." What? Naruto gazed at Tayuya's back. They did well? Even with relying so heavily on Tayuya to get them through? Even if they had only followed her instruction as efficiently as they could? Was that considered strongly? Surely, being a good shinobi meant being able to hold your ground against the toughest of opponents, and certainly, Naruto had used his jutsu to buy Tayuya some time, but... "They did everything that was tasked of them. And more. Wasn't perfect, but nothing about that mission was. Kept their cool when shit hit the fan. Couldn't have expected better from those clowns." At that, she nudged towards Sakon, Jirobo, and Kidomaru. Being compared to the Sound Four in any capacity was high praise, coming from one of their own.

"Excellent." Orochimaru smiled, "You're dismissed. I'll send out Kidomaru to watch the forest for a while. Just in case our friends from Taki show."

Tayuya bowed, and so did Naruto and Zaku and Dosu and Kin, and then they left the chamber. Kidomaru followed close behind them, and he grumbled incessantly. "You guys get to go out and have some fun, and I get stuck with a guard quest. The hell's up with that?" Then however he grinned and slapped Naruto and Zaku on their backs with his many arms. "But hey! You guys did good! Tayuya doesn't praise just anybody, you know."

"Oh, shut up webs." Tayuya grunted from the front.

"Sorry! Anyways, gotta' head out there. Be seeing you!" And he was gone.

They walked through the hallways for a while until Tayuya turned back to them. "Look, I meant it. You did good. That whole thing went down faster than shit in a toilet, but you guys held together. I'm, uh... I'm proud of you."

"Oooookay." Zaku drawled, "Who are you and what've you done with Tayuya?" He was almost immediately slapped in the back by Kin.

"Don't push it, pipes."

"We appreciate it, Tayuya." Kin interceded on his behalf, and all of them were grateful. "That means a lot, thanks."

"Yeah, well." She paused and shifted her gaze, "You better go clean yourselves off. I need to chat with the blondie here." They dispersed without complaint, Dosu placing a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder before he left, and once alone Tayuya led him into one of the side rooms and closed the door behind her. It was not an elegant space, with some odd bookshelves and cabinets dimly lit. She stood between him and the door with her arms crossed and staring him down enough to cause him discomfort. "Alright, let's talk."

"What about?" He questioned, though already he suspected.

"Don't play dumb. You're not okay, and even Zaku knows it." That she had seen through him was not a surprise. His collapse on their journey home was a concern on its own, even disguised as he said by his 'legs giving out', but it was enough to rouse Tayuya's suspicion. She was right.

Still, he hesitated, a mix of pride and embarrassment mingled poorly with the shame and frustration. But he felt that Tayuya would not let him leave the room until he'd told her everything and that somehow she would know if he was hiding something, and that was enough to convince him. "I-" He found it difficult to find the words, "How many people?"

"What?"

"How many people did I kill?" His voice caught as he spoke and he fought back the tears. He would not show. Not now. "The explosion, the damage. How many people?"

She stared for a moment, never betraying any bit of emotion. "We can't know that. Don't be a moron, there's no way we could know-"

"But there were some, right?!" His heart pounded, desperation taking over, the screams of the dead howling faintly in his ears once again. "I killed someone. I killed a lot of people. I can't- I couldn't have known-" He broke and turned away, rubbing the wetness from his eyes.

Tayuya remained quiet. She watched as he struggled to regain his composure, and once he did, he turned with pleading eyes. Eyes of a lost child, who didn't know what to do or where to go, who just wanted to find a dark place to hide away; and she was at a loss. She did not know how to deal with this, she did not know what to say, or what to do. She'd decided to talk to him if only to save his sanity, but now she realized how little prepared she was. Her first instinct just months ago would have been to lambast him and criticize him and tell him to man up, and that would be the end of it. But - how to say it, Naruto had an energy to him. It dragged you in and consciously changed you. Naruto was entirely right in what he said to Fu, but it was something that had changed over time. Something she grew in to.

She cared.

"Look, I know it's hard." She started slowly, "It was the first time you've had to do something like that, I understand." She could tell him how she was the one who detonated the bombs, and that by extension it was her doing, but that would destroy a chance to help Naruto grow. "Being a shinobi isn't just adventure and action, you've gotta' make choices, and those choices can be tough. Sometimes it means you gotta' hurt people, or take lives; usually, so you can keep breathing. It means you gotta' do stuff you don't agree with, and it's okay to feel bad about it. I'd say it gets better eventually, but it doesn't. You gotta' live with it."

She wasn't sure if that made him feel better. Then again, she wasn't there to make him feel better - not really. "I ain't gonna' stand here and tell you it isn't always like that. It's _always_ like that. There're good moments too, but they can be rare, and you spend more time doing stuff you hate then stuff you don't. You just, sorta, get used to it, and it doesn't hurt as bad anymore. And that's a load of bullshit, but it's all I got, dammit!"

Naruto actually laughed, though it was a low and sad one. "You're not very good at this." She folded her arms and grunted. "But thanks. I'll be fine. I- I think I just need time? It's not like I knew any of them, except Fu." Then he faltered. "I hurt her. Can't imagine how she's feeling right now."

"She doesn't know it was us. All she knows is that we left and there was a bang, that's all." Tayuya tried to console him, but she knew it likely wasn't enough.

"Well, it's still a secret I don't wanna' keep."

"That's part of being a shinobi too."

"I guess." He shrugged, "Hey, when did you get all understanding and stuff? What happened to angry and fireball Tayuya?"

"Err-" Now it was Tayuya's turn to hesitate. "Don't make me regret talkin' to ya'. I didn't have to!"

Another laugh. If her words didn't help, her temperament did. "Thanks." She nodded and turned to leave, but before she did, she looked over her shoulder.

"You're not alone here, kid. We're rough here, but you got people who'll listen if you gotta' get shit off your chest. Don't bury it all inside and let it build. For all our sakes, you can't afford to." With those parting words, she left, vanishing around the corner. Naruto remained there for a while, staring at his feet.

' _Not alone, huh?'_ It was true enough, he did have friends in Zaku and Dosu and Kin. But he thought that maybe there was something he was still missing; someone to talk to? A counselor? He'd never thought of having one in Konoha, always screaming into whatever pillow he'd get his hands on at the end of the day; Naruto now realized it was a habit he was holding on to. There were people for him here, who could listen and wouldn't judge him or treat him as a monster or something less than human. His friends would accept him. He could afford to let go.

So he left feeling a little better. The deaths of those in Taki still hurt him, and his betrayal of Fu yet scorned him, but at least now he was a little more confident. In the end, Tayuya had essentially told him to 'man up' after all. He would get used to it. Or, at least, he hoped he could. If he failed, then he would have a challenging career ahead of him. For now, he could take heart. Through all the pain and torment he'd endured, now more than ever he was not truly alone. Although Tayuya had failed to deal with the one issue of his regret, she had brought to light another thing Naruto wasn't aware of, and for that he was thankful. He would strive to trust his team with his feelings. That even if it was a thing he could not defeat alone, they could support him through it.

But there was one he knew who could not share in that feeling, and that was Fu. She was alone, now more than ever before. Her village was wounded at its core. Her friends had left her. He prayed that wouldn't break her. He would not abandon her for long. One day when he was old enough and strong enough he would swallow his fear and his regret and return to her. He would apologize to her if she demanded it. But most importantly of all, he would show Fu she was not alone as she seemed. And if at that time she felt it fit to scold him, rant to him, cry about anything at all, he would do for her what he'd needed for himself all along.

He would listen. For her sake. Because they were not alone.

* * *

 **Aaaaand end scene! So like I mentioned a bit more sappy and emotion things this chapter, but I don't think you can have character development without it, and it needed to happen eventually! Hopefully I didn't go, err, overboard. xD Anywho, if all goes well I should be set to keep to the biweekly updates, in which case I'll have a new chapter for ya'll on the 30th! ...Hopefully!**

 **If you enjoyed the chapter, let me know! Send a review my way with any thoughts, questions, or advice you might have to offer! I really love hearing from you guys!**

 **That's all for now! See ya'll next time!**


	7. Repercussions

**Hey guys! Welcome back to Naruto Retold: Lost Child - Chapter 7! So I like doing time shift things apparently! But anyways, this was planned from the start; a new arc of sorts. We're gonna' be saying bye to Naruto and the rest for just a little bit! There are some other characters that need a little explaining, growth, and development - seeing how Naruto's missing an' all! So bear with me, we'll get back to our favorite blond in just a little bit. ;)**

 **Review Time!**

 **Jagsboy - Thank you! Haha well, I won't confirm that it was a toad, but I won't deny Naruto wouldn't have recognized the difference. ;) I enjoyed writing their development too! It'll be fun as they both mature!**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I wasn't too sure how Tayuya would console Naruto, but originally I thought it would work, and then I realized it would be better if it didn't fully help. That'd be more Tayuya. xD And we'll definitely see Fu again! Maybe not super soon, but she'll be back! ;)**

 **KingPlotBunny - Thanks for the reassurance! I think you're absolutely right that there should've been more realism there, and the chakra tanks we saw at the end made me sad and depressed. It was like I was watching Dragon Ball! xD Rest assured, there won't be any of that, even as it goes later on. :)**

 **AkashimaUchiha - Thank you! Yeah Tayuya's like a year and some change older than Naruto. Though she's got enough of her own issues to slow her maturity down.**

 **chronos151 - Glad you liked it! While the plot I have is set, I'm always coming up with new ideas as I write it for later chapters. I'd be happy to hear your ideas! ;)**

 **And to the Guest! - The story up till last chapter was still pre-graduation!**

 **A great thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed the story so far! I really appreciate all the support you guys have been giving, ya'll are awesome! I hope you guys continue to enjoy and I continue to entertain!**

* * *

 **Chapter VII**

 **Repercussions**

From the moment they'd returned from Takigakure, Naruto had noticed a change. It was visible not only in himself, in his teamwork with the others, but also Tayuya's treatment of him and them. He'd finally concluded that, perhaps, they'd earned her respect and if he were to be more daring, trust. That in all likelihood would have taken it too far, but Naruto was hopeful. It was, all the same, a welcome thing; few and rarer still she yelled at them in blind rage or honestly belittled them, although teasing jabs remained. That did not lessen the brutality of her training. If anything, it only grew more severe.

"Dodge!" She shouted, the instant before a flying kunai grazed Naruto's cheek. He managed to react with one of his own, clashing against the following projectile that would have surely pierced his skull. An Otonin larger, stronger, and more experienced than he rushed and punched him hard in the stomach, a blow only barely blunted when Naruto defended with an arm. Still, it knocked him away some feet, and he came back to back with Zaku.

"This _sucks_!" Zaku grumbled, he breathed heavily, and sweat dripped from his brow. Traces of blood flowed from the palm of his hand. Naruto was inclined to agree, wondering just how Tayuya expected them to defeat the ten Otonin that surrounded them. Zaku extended an open hand, "Can't ya take a hint and stay DOWN!" Naruto took the hint for what it was and fell prone to the ground. Zaku turned, a stream of wind gushing from his modified arms like a violent cyclone around the room. It wasn't enough to end the battle, but it served as enough of a distraction for Naruto to go on the offensive.

He was impressed too that Zaku was still capable of that last attack, considering they'd been fighting for well over half an hour. He did not have the stamina that Naruto had. That, of course, was the blond's advantage, and he intended to use it until he had nothing left to give. With a fresh and invigorated speed he charged the nearest shinobi, who were still stunned by Zaku's attack; he assaulted them with a jaw-shattering kick to the first, and the second was treated to a roundhouse punch to the stomach - fitting, as he was the one who'd hit Naruto moments before. Revenge was a sweet thing. The following uppercut to his chin knocked him down with his comrade.

"You guys make me sick!" Tayuya called from the higher platform, flanked by Dosu and Kin. "I would'a knocked 'em all senseless hours ago!"

"Bullshit!" Naruto growled, retreating from another attacker's slashing kunai. He chanced to check on Zaku and saw his partner had managed to incapacitate another of their enemies. That brought their number to seven. Their group was slowly whittling away; indeed, already a decent amount of them lay unconscious on the floor. But the battle was taking its toll, if not on Naruto most definitely on Zaku. It was only thanks to the support they'd given each other that they'd lasted this long, and if one of them fell the brawl would end quickly after. Still, Zaku was not the only one who could use a jutsu, and while he'd refrained from doing so as of yet, Naruto felt now was a good time.

The other Otonin were not about to make it an easy task, for as soon as Naruto began the hand signs they pushed harder than ever. Of course, they would know what he intended, but even a shinobi ignorant of his jutsu would want to prevent him from using it. His initial attempt was rightly stopped, it convinced him that he'd need a bit more tact in this case. "Cover!" He shouted to Zaku.

"I'm trying!" His friend answered through gritted teeth, by now Naruto knew his hands, and indeed every part of his arm connected to the pipes inside burned like fire. He would only hold for a little while longer; with any luck that would be all the time Naruto would need. They grouped again, twisting around each other in a sort of dance, Naruto dodging and weaving and Zaku blocking and defending. At last, they were met with a final onslaught, every remaining shinobi launching into them with a flurry of blows all at once. At that moment Zaku forced the last of his strength into one more wind stream, with a cry of pain and anger, the blast ushering forth from his hands and blasting their enemy away. Then he collapsed, but he'd done what he could, and that was enough.

Maybe it was a touch redundant, but it was the only thing he knew. **"Futon: Fujinheki! (Wind Wall)"**

This was no mere blast, however. Naruto had spent endless hours since returning from Taki perfecting the one thing he felt he was lacking; control. The same instant he'd unleashed his jutsu, he carefully traced the depth of the chamber, the distance between himself and his enemies, where Tayuya and the others were, even what space he'd need to provide to safeguard his fallen friend. So when the breath forcefully left his mouth like the roar of a dragon, it formed both an eye at the center of calm, but a surging wave of powerful winds around; it expanded further, rapidly crashing into the shinobi still standing and their fallen comrades, whipping them with a thousand lashes and pummeling them against the walls. An explosion of wind and raw power that threatened to grow beyond what the chamber would hold, but once it reached the lower wall, it ceased. Every single person on the lower level collapsed to the floor; only two were conscious.

Naruto breathlessly knelt next to Zaku. "You okay?"

"Ooooh Kami, I want to go home." Zaku groaned.

"That's a yes." Naruto gave him a hand up and steadied him against his shoulder. By then Tayuya and the others had joined them on the lower floor of the arena. Kin was at Zaku's side quickly and helped in keeping him on his feet. He would be fine, only requiring rest and ointment for his palms. Tayuya nodded approvingly, yet Naruto wondered if they'd done appropriately.

"Not bad. But if you fought me, it would'a ended differently. These wanna' be's are child's play. Next time I'll send twice as many at you. But hey! Not bad at all!" It was a compliment if you could believe it, though by then Naruto and Zaku were only concerned with finding a comfortable spot to sit. It was appreciated for what it was, a change for the better; a rare thing in the world. They all much preferred a helpful and not entirely angry Tayuya over a brutish and terrible one. "Right, Dosu, Kin, you're up next. Soon as these bozos pull their pants up and get to work..." Naruto gave them a grin, almost apologetically, and took Zaku alone up the stairs to the second level. As they climbed, his eyes shifted to a shadowy corner of the room.

Tayuya's had not been the only change.

There standing still with his arms crossed was none other than Orochimaru. He watched them unblinkingly, and if it unnerved them, they did their best not to let it show. But it was disturbing, and something that had only began once they'd returned from their mission to Takigakure. The sudden interest in their growth had become a common topic in their free time, and Tayuya was not forthcoming when questioned. Did he want to see their progress with his own eyes? Or was there another reason for his attention? Naruto set Zaku down and propped him up against the wall, and when he looked back to where Orochimaru was, he was gone. Their confusion only grew more when he left immediately after Naruto and Zaku's battle had ended; that had become something of a pattern in him, as he would always depart as soon as Naruto's trials were over.

It was an odd and peculiar thing, and it made them all a touch uneasy. Orochimaru seemed almost like a snake eying its potential prey. Zaku had made the comparison more than a few times, and it inevitably led to campfire stories he made up before sleeping. He laughed about it at the time, but when Naruto considered how accurate it was, it became far more startling. He began to think maybe he was to become a snack for Orochimaru, should he not grow stronger and prove his worth. But, he told himself, surely he was overthinking things, that being turned into a real meal would be taking things too far. Tayuya had laughed at his worries and told him he was stupid, and then Naruto thought that she would let them know if Orochimaru wasn't pleased with them. Wouldn't she?

Even so, it had become a driving force in the back of his mind. It kept him pushing through every challenge Tayuya threw at him because he thought that if he didn't succeed, he would fall out of favor with one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the world. Even should he not be turned to food, whatever punishment given to him could be made far worse. He had, in turn, inspired his friends to face Tayuya's training with equal enthusiasm; they saw his improvement and wished not to be left behind. If he became quick, they raced to catch him, if he grew strong they strained to surpass him. Without realizing it, they had learned to rely on each other, support each other, spur each other onward to new and greater heights. The rumor began to spread that they would become the New Sound Four, should the old one be complacent.

It would have been foolish of course to think that they would be, or that they had not heard the words spoken in hushed whispers. To an extent they didn't care, Tayuya encouraged them, Kidomaru relished the challenge they could give, and Jirobo didn't care. But Sakon and Ukon; they were a different story. If they had more or less ignored them before, now Sakon behaved almost violently towards them. On more than one occasion Naruto had found himself struck, upon meeting Sakon alone in the halls. He knew the others were treated similarly. "You'll get him back." Tayuya had told them when they complained, "Focus on getting through this now and beating his ass later."

She was right of course, as she usually was. Capable though they had become, they were as yet still a far cry from being on the level of one of the Sound Four. So that was exactly what they did, growing stronger by the day. Months passed by and their improvements in that time were extraordinary. Tayuya had groomed them such that each one of them was equal to five Otonin when fought alone, and many more when fought together. It had become to them just as much a pride thing as it was a necessity. Their usefulness to Otogakure, to Orochimaru, while driven by an almost subconscious fear or respect, could not be understated.

But there was one thing they lacked; though they had the strength and the talent, they had as of yet failed to prove themselves on the field. Surely you could argue that Takigakure was proof, but Tayuya had led the way then, and although their assistance was invaluable she had inevitably done the heavy lifting herself. "It'll be tougher next time," she warned, "Kimimaro'll make sure of that. So keep your guard up and don't let anything surprise ya', and for Kami's sake don't get yourselves killed." That was easier said than done if her training was any indication. All of Otogakure had been roused up against their newfound notoriety, and it seemed to them that every opponent Tayuya found wanted to murder them.

Many months passed until they were finally given a reprieve from the endless bouts in the arena; Kimimaro called for them.

"The hell you think Kimimaro wants?" Zaku asked as the four walked together. Even Tayuya didn't know, and she remained silent and thoughtful.

"If I had to guess, there's something he wants us to do." Dosu answered.

"Obviously, but what?"

"Maybe another mission?" That was Kin, "We can't be stuck here fighting all the time, no sense getting stronger if they don't use us."

Naruto agreed, but he wasn't so sure all the same. Something was nagging him, like a tickle across his nape. Perhaps it was that he was distracted by Orochimaru, his newfound interest in them; or maybe he doubted Kimimaro was pleased, that he felt similar to Sakon and sought to punish them. But with Tayuya there, surely that wouldn't be the case. She would vouch for them.

They arrived at Orochimaru's chamber, surprised enough to find him sitting in his chair at the end. Kimimaro stood to his right, and asides for them the room was empty. Naruto shivered, it was eerily cold. "Lord Orochimaru." Tayuya bowed, then glared at Kimimaro. "You called?"

Kimimaro stared harshly, but it was Orochimaru who spoke. "Yes, there is a matter that needs attending. I do not believe it to be urgent for Otogakure, but... Well, in light of recent _developments_ , it would be prudent that we make connections. Tell me, what do you know of the Land of Waves?"

"It's a backwater nation that can barely take care of itself, and if it sunk no one would care." Tayuya answered, in as polite a fashion as she could manage. Orochimaru seemed almost amused.

"Exactly. But someone would care, and it's them that concerns us." Kimimaro produced a red, leather-bound book from his side and threw it to Tayuya. "All you will need is there. I believe we can make some excellent _friends,_ so long as we act appropriately. Do not disappoint me."

Naruto would have felt sorry for being confused if Tayuya wasn't just as confused as he was. She bowed again and rushed out of the chamber at a quick pace, and they were encouraged to follow. "What is that?" He asked after they'd left Orochimaru's earshot.

She led them to a quiet spot, a small room with some tables and chairs, and they sat around the book as Tayuya opened it to the first page. It was a profile of sorts, with a picture stamped to the corner that Naruto did not recognize. But Tayuya did, "You've gotta' be shitting me." She read a while longer and then sighed openly. Naruto studied the photograph, but only noted the man in it appeared rather tough and mean, what with his dark scowl and bandaged wrapped face, and menacingly large sword. "His name's Zabuza Momochi. Former Jonin and Anbu of Kirigakure, former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, master of the Silent Kill technique, and one tough son of a bitch. This dude killed over a hundred prospective shinobi without any training. Even had the balls to rebel against the Mizukage with some of his allies, though they failed and vanished afterward. Well, I dunno' what Orochimaru's thinkin', but he wants us to make buddy-buddy with this bastard, and holy hell if that ain't a stupid idea if ever there was one."

"So, here's the deal. There's some guy who wants to build a bridge from the Land of Waves to the mainland. Guess Gato, richest man in the world, corrupt tyrant of a businessman, has been exploiting these guys for a while and some construction goon wants to fix that. Zabuza has been under Gato's employ for Kami only knows how long, and Zabuza is trying to kill the bridge builder. Simple. Orochimaru wants us to get in there and see if we can't manipulate the whole shebang to our favor. Bonus if we get Zabuza to agree to help us out against Iwa. I don't know how the hell we're supposed to do that, but there it is. Any ideas, I'd love to hear 'em." There was silence as they glanced at each other around the table. "Well, you're about as much help as I expected."

"We'll just have to see when we get there." Naruto sighed, "We don't have much choice, ya' know." Unfortunately, that was the most sensible thing presented.

"Maybe if we kill the bridge builder for him, he'll, uh, be grateful, and-"

Kin cut Zaku off, "It's not like he's a high-value target, they can't afford guards. I don't think Zabuza would have any trouble taking care of that himself. But we might be able to help him with the Mizukage, somehow."

"We scratch your back, you scratch ours?" Naruto caught on quickly, "If he fought against the Mizukage once, maybe he'll want a rematch. I'd want all the help I could get if I were in his spot."

"That's - that's not a bad idea." Tayuya admitted, "Don't forget this guy's a Jonin, he ain't gonna' trust us enough for that. We'll need to earn it."

"Then we earn it. If he's a missing-nin, he'll be hunted. We might play the hunter against the prey, and aid the prey against the hunter." Dosu murmured quietly. Naruto almost thought he was talking to himself. But then he stood, his lone eye focused on Zabuza's picture. "We should go and see. There's nothing more to help us here." That was true enough. They would take some further time to study their route (they decided to travel north of the Land of Fire's border until they reached the coast), prepare their equipment and provisions, but otherwise, no further discussion of their mission was to be had. They would depart Otogakure shortly.

But that is where we leave them, and we turn back the clock to several months prior and turn south to the Land of Fire.

* * *

The sun was setting over a large village backed into the shadow of a mountain, a vast and wide wall wrapping around it on all sides. Konohagakure, renowned as the greatest of the Five Nations; even in twilight, it was a sight to behold. Its people were strong and proud, with powerful shinobi and mighty clans. Though they were no strangers to tragedy, participating in every Great War, the death of the legendary Yellow Flash, the Uchiha Massacre - but they were led still by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, the God of Shinobi, and it is to him that we look now.

Even as the day came to a close Hiruzen remained in his office. He could not leave, not yet. The anbu needed coordinating. One bad thing had led to another. Naruto Uzumaki was missing, from what he understood dared to the forest beyond Konoha's border by his classmates. How the young child had smuggled his way through the safety net was as yet unknown, but Naruto always had a knack for escaping or at least getting into places he shouldn't. It was odd that of everyone who should have brought it to his attention, it was only the young Shikamaru Nara who finally did; a boy Naruto's age, who had paid attention and learned more than most his age would. It was he who arrived at Hiruzen's office not long ago and informed him of Naruto's intentions, and that Iruka Umino had left already to pursue him. Anbu and every shinobi available were immediately dispersed to find him, out of fear that there were still hostile forces remaining there.

As any with his skill, he sensed their arrival before he saw them, and he opened the window. Two figures emerged through it, one with a blue mask covering the lower half of his face, eye hidden behind a lopsided forehead protector, and with long, spiky silver hair; the other was a more straightforward sort, tanned skin and with brown hair styled in a pony-tail, with a scar running across his nose. Kakashi Hatake propped Iruka up on a shoulder. Both men seemed ragged and worn, but Iruka worst of all. "He's gone!" Iruka croaked, his voice harsh. "Naruto's gone!"

"Gone?" Hiruzen repeated, his old, wrinkled face growing more strained by the minute. "What do you mean, 'gone'?"

"I tracked him north, he was being chased by someone, but when I caught up he-" His voice broke, and he lurched forward, his breathing becoming more and more erratic. "I couldn't find him. I don't know where he is."

"Kakashi?" The old man's eyes shifted to the masked man, who'd remained silent and stoic.

"I sent my dogs to look for him, but his scent ended at a river. They are tracking it north. If they find anything, they'll let me know." Kakashi sighed, his free hand bracing his headband as if the eye underneath pained him. "As for his pursuers, they were kunoichi from Taki. Not that they were doing much to hide it. I dealt with them."

"From Taki!" Hiruzen grunted. What were they doing so far south, in Konoha's sphere? "Who all knows of this?"

"Only us, and the anbu." Said the masked one.

"Keep it that way. If Danzo learns of this, there'll be another war, and we can scarcely afford that. Nor do we want it." He paused, "Get Iruka to the hospital and have his wounds treated, then lead the anbu in the search. Spare no expense to find Naruto. It is imperative we find him. For our sake, and for his." There were many complications to a village losing its jinchuriki, yet somehow Hiruzen was more concerned whether Naruto was alive and well. It was after Kakashi left with Iruka that he turned to a picture framed on his desk, tracing a finger along the cheek of the woman within. Biwako would never forgive him if he let that little boy slip away. Not after everything they sacrificed to ensure his safety. If anything happened to his adoptive grandson, he would never forgive himself.

"Godspeed, Kakashi." He wished of the silver-haired Jonin. This would be a long night.

And it would, for everyone involved. Kakashi dropped a solemn and distraught Iruka off at the hospital, where he was immediately seen to by nurses who escorted him in; then Kakashi raced off from the village back to the forest, to meet with the others sent to search as well as with his hounds. By now darkness had crept over the land, a shadow illuminated only by the bright moon, and then just in spurts between drifting clouds. But he was a skilled and talented shinobi, and would not easily lose his way. Soon he found the very river Naruto's scent had vanished in. He knew the many dogs he'd sent out were likely downstream, but it was still a long way to go. He began the descent, as of yet unable to locate the other anbu trackers - though, certainly, he could sense them well enough. They were like little blips here or there, rushing around at random as if they had no aim or control.

His path went silently downstream, his ears always perked for anything unknown. While he had dealt with the kunoichi himself, there still remained an underlying fear that they were not the only ones to stay in the forest. From his understanding, the battle had been fiercely fought, but there were many survivors on both sides. He was sure that the two he fought could not have been the only ones. Iruka had mentioned at least three. But as he ran further from the village, he felt more and more confident that if there were enemies, they would not be found nearby. On the other hand, he also found that few if any of Konoha's anbu were near the river either.

"Kakashi!" called a gruff voice all too familiar to him. A little pug with brown fur and a grumpy face landed on his back as he ran. It was Pakkun, one of his ninken, and one of the fastest and brightest too. His nose was greatest of all, it was no surprise that he was able to find Kakashi. "We found Naruto. One of the boys saw him being dragged away by a nasty bruiser and a gal."

"Taki?!" The Jonin grimaced, that did not bode well.

"No clue. They weren't wearing headbands, and Ukino's never seen 'em before. Kicker is, they were kids." That much wasn't expected. The idea that Naruto could be abducted did not escape him, but if anything it would be by highly trained and dangerous shinobi. But children? Could the dogs have made a mistake? That couldn't be right - their senses were far greater than that of any man. If Pakkun said they were young, then they were. "One of them did _something_ , Ukino said there was an odd sound like music following them. He got disoriented by it, couldn't chase. By the time he'd caught on to their scent again, they'd gone over water and wasn't to be found on the other side. Almost like they knew they were being followed."

The concern Kakashi felt at the news was great. He feared that now Naruto was in the hands of a group of people who were not only knowledgable as to what he was, but they were also very skilled. His ninken were well trained to track any individual, and not be discovered while doing it. It was their expertise. That one of them was found out, and put off, was only a small indicator of the skill this unknown force possessed. What was more, that there was no knowing if they served Takigakure, Amegakure, or Kami forbid, Iwagakure. If the Tsuchikage got hold of Naruto, and at such a young age too, there would be no telling the potential damage that would be caused.

He arrived at last to the lake at the tail end of the river, waterfall bubbling and fuzzing in its powerful current. All was quiet there except the crickets chirping and the occasional owl hooting. His instincts were on full alert, he scanned for the slightest movement; but there was none. Satisfied, and now rejoined by his many dogs, he examined the water's edge. He found spots of blood and a place where a bundle of stones had been collected together. There was another area where a bit more blood had been shed, and a dusty, child-sized outline in the dirt. The dogs informed him that was where Naruto had been assaulted. They led him into the forest, all the way to the river where the unknown persons crossed, and there Kakashi searched earnestly for any sign of where they might have gone. It was not to be. Whoever they were, they'd done an excellent job in covering their way, so much so that even his hounds could not find them.

Kakashi sighed, knowing that the Hokage would not be pleased with what he had to say. It would only be a matter of time too before the Council discovered what had transpired, even if every action was taken to keep it secret. They would know, and then there would be hell to pay. It was fortunate enough that Hiruzen had enough authority to reprimand them, but that only worked so many times. He wondered with a touch of dread if their next encounter would go so smoothly. In any case, now he knew that Naruto was no longer within the village grounds, if not even further off than the Land of Fire, and that if Taki was not responsible for his kidnapping another, otherwise unknown force was. There was no good news, and that was entirely rotten.

He hurried back to Konoha, content to leave the other anbu to return of their own accord. They hadn't been any help anyways, and Kakashi felt frustrated with how inefficient their ranks had grown in the time since he'd left his captaincy. He dispersed his ninken back to their abode, they had done as well as they could and deserved a rest. It was with great speed that he returned to the Hokage's office, a large red building in the center of Konoha, and Hiruzen ushered him inside. They discussed all that Kakashi had discovered.

"So Naruto is truly gone, then." Hiruzen murmured from his desk, hands interlaced in front of his nose. He was quiet and calm, but there was a troubled look in his eyes. "This is troubling. Naruto's safety should be paramount, yet I wonder about these unknown shinobi Pakkun says took him. Danzo will be livid when he discovers everything, and it's only a matter of time before he does. I believe he will want to go to war, and we can hardly afford that, and we don't want it. We must recover Naruto quickly before events spiral out of control. I do not trust that we can send messengers to the other villages, they are cruel and heartless, and would quickly take advantage of our weakness. Especially Iwagakure. But, if we can contact Jiraiya, he may help us."

"If we can find him." Kakashi noted.

"About that, I'm sure if there are any hot springs of note, he won't be far. Perhaps you might try Yugakure for starters." There was a mischievous glint now, and in spite of the grim reason for their meeting, Hiruzen hid a tentative smile.

Kakashi winced, "I suppose you want to send me." While he was not opposed to traveling, and would gladly do anything possible to rescue Naruto, all the same, he was lazy, and he desperately wanted to read his book. _'It was just getting to the good part, too.'_

"Yes, you and every other able-bodied Jonin I can trust. We need to search the entire continent, check every lead. Guy should be returning soon, I'm sure he'll want to join you if you haven't left by then." That was all that Kakashi needed to hear, and without another word, he saluted and rushed off to gather what little he would need. It was not a long journey, but he was not about to leave without an extra copy of Icha Icha, just in case.

Hiruzen remained long after Kakashi left. He thought back to a day when he held a dying, red-haired woman in his arms, and she pleaded with him to take care of Naruto. She wailed that she would not be able to raise him. She'd had just enough time to name him, and then she was gone, and her husband with her. Hiruzen had made her that promise, and it was one he had failed to keep. Naruto was gone, out of his grasp, and at that moment he felt powerless to change it. "What a fool you are, Sarutobi." He cursed quietly. Then and there he vowed that should Naruto be recovered he would never let the young boy out of his sight again. He owed Kushina and Minato that much.

His thoughts drifted then to another boy in the village, who had also lost his mother and father, and his brother and the rest of his clan while he was at it. Sasuke Uchiha was understandably angry and distressed and confused, and though his grades were good and his performance better, Hiruzen was concerned. Now, especially with the loss of Naruto, he felt it was his obligation to look after the child. Though he would be busy, especially now in coordinating the search for the Uzumaki, he decided to make what time he could to mentor Sasuke; should he accept it.

For now, it was time to deal with the council. As if on cue, there was a single knock at the door, and without waiting for his reply, it opened. Leading the way was a tall, elderly man with a cane; his face wrapped in bandages and a grim, hard expression on his face. Two others entered with him, one man and one woman, but it was only the first who walked up to his desk and stared down Hiruzen. Tension was in the room now; it was as palpable as humid air. "Sarutobi." The man greeted, gruffly.

"Danzo." Hiruzen replied. This would be a long night.

* * *

 **End scene! So again, we're back peddling a bit timeline-wise, and we're going to focus on the Konoha side of things for just a little while. It won't be too long, but I do need to dedicate some chapters to developing the characters on this side of the fence before we return to Naruto and the gang. Bear with me senpai!**

 **I hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter! Please feel free to leave a review with any questions, advice, or comments ya' might have, I love hearing from everybody! :D**

 **See ya' next time!**


	8. New Beginning

**Hey all! Welcome to Chapter 8 of Naruto Retold: Lost Child! Not too much to say this time around; though I guess that's not a bad thing? xD**

 **Review Time!**

 **xhope14x - We shall see! ;)**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Thank you! I realized at some point planning out the story that I had to explain what was going on in Konoha to explain certain things that happen later. xD As for Orochimaru, welllll...**

 **KingPlotBunny - What can I say? I like to mix things up! I did have a bunch of different ideas of how to make it work for later, but eventually I decided on one, which'll come about sooner or later. ;) I shouldn't have to dwell on Konoha for too many chapters, just enough to get them caught up with Naruto and the gang timeline-wise. As for Haku... Y'know, I hadn't considered a genderbend. I suppose for his or her character it doesn't matter too much either way. I do plan on keeping him canon, but if you guys want him to be a girl instead that's fine too, just let me know.**

 **Jagsboy - Indeed! Great question, and that'll become clear really soon. ;)**

 **AkashimaUchiha - Thank you! I do have a lot of changes I'm making and development for the characters and plot should be shifting a lot more, though I'm trying to balance the timing with the chapters to make sure not too much or too little is happening. I went too far overboard with Chapter 1.^.^; Anywho...**

 **Shynemon - Thank you! This jump between Oto and Konoha _should_ be the only one I'll do, but I'll definitely keep that in mind for timeskips and such. Speaking of...**

 **THANK YOU to everyone for all your comments! I love hearing from everyone! It definitely makes writing this thing so much more worth it! ^.^**

 **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

 **Chapter VIII**

 **New Beginning**

 **[One Week After Naruto's Kidnapping]**

A week had passed since Naruto's disappearance, and still, there was no word. Though the Konoha shinobi scoured the countryside looking and searching and interrogating it was as if Naruto had vanished off the face of the earth. The Aburame and Inuzuka clans, the anbu, everything Konohagakure had was spent in the search for the boy; still, nothing. Hiruzen did not indicate that they were going to give up, that they would continue to look until they found Naruto, but by then Iruka Umino had already given up hope. Every day spent going to the academy and teaching the children under his care were now spent staring at the seat Naruto used to claim. His energy, his passion for teaching those kids: it was gone.

At the end of every day, Iruka returned home, stumbled through the junk and clutter he'd let pile up and then collapsed into bed. But he did not sleep, instead staring lifelessly at the ceiling and regretting that he hadn't done differently. If he had only given Naruto a chance sooner, he thought, than the boy would have never gone to the forest on that scavenger hunt. The enemy ninja would have never pursued him. Most importantly, he would never have gone away. It was that regret and pain that sapped him of his will. It _was_ his fault, and he could not deny it. He could have prevented everything if he'd only acted sooner; if he had at least said something. But he hadn't, and now he was forced to live with the repercussions of that.

As the saying goes, you reap what you sow.

It was just another day. He stood in front of his class with a podium in front of him and a chalkboard behind him, and he droned on about a lesson he'd thankfully planned weeks ago. Another few days remained in his workbook before he would be out of content to teach, and Iruka knew he had to scramble to come up with something quick, but he lacked the energy or will to do it. Perhaps if it came down to it, he could turn to his fellow teachers at the academy for aid, and they could take over for him until he could regain himself. They likely wouldn't complain, since Naruto wasn't-

He stuttered, and his voice broke, interrupting whatever he'd been saying before. The students all looked at him curiously. They'd realized something was wrong with him, just the other day more than a few of the well-meaning ones asked if he was alright once class had been let out. There was no telling if they guessed that it was due to Naruto's disappearance; it hurt enough to realize that most of them didn't care. After a pause he came back to his senses and continued the lecture again, facing the blackboard and drawing on it to hide the build up of tears in his eyes. These were his students; they couldn't see him break. Kakashi had told him that was a sign of strength, and he couldn't let the elder shinobi down.

But it was hard, so terribly hard. All Iruka wanted to do was run, to join a squad of shinobi and fight in some no-named war where he could be put out of his pain. Or at least, find the ones who took Naruto and end them. Many were those who would frown on that, and he kept it secret, but a desire for revenge began to well up inside of him, masked only by his nearly crippling depression. It was something he would never show, least of all to his students; if he were a bad example to them, and gave rise to a corrupted and perverse version of the Will of Fire, he would at last break apart.

The bell went off before he knew it, and while typically he would be frustrated and wishing the day had been longer, today he was glad for the loud and obnoxious chime. It meant that soon he could retreat from the academy and drop his mask and just be him. But first, he needed to stop by the office and finish whatever paperwork he'd inevitably neglected to do the days before. After all of the students had fled the room in droves, and he'd cleaned the mess they'd left behind (assisted in the task however by the ever sweet Sakura), he left and walked down the hall opposite of the children. It led further back and to the teacher's offices, where already a small number of his coworkers had gathered after their classes.

He didn't make eye contact. Iruka walked to his desk with his papers in hand and quietly slipped into his chair, a pattern that had become only too common in the last week. On numerous occasions, his acquaintances attempted to bring him aside and ask what was wrong, what they could do to help him, and so many other things that Iruka felt nice but shallow. If they cared, they would have treated Naruto with respect and kindness instead of discrimination and even hatred. He did not feel inclined in the slightest to talk with any of them except when he needed to. Even then, it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Iruka finished his work as quickly as he could, taking many breaks to wipe his eyes or gaze dumbly at his desk, and once done he put away what he could and made to leave. He was stopped by another one of the teachers, who placed a hand on his shoulder. Iruka turned, and it was Daikoku - one of the senior teachers at the academy and for a long while Iruka's mentor. He of all the instructors at the school understood what Iruka was going through, but up until recently, he'd left Iruka alone. A frown was on his usually jovial features, and his round shoulders seemed tense. "Hey, got a minute to talk?"

He hesitated a moment, but eventually gave in, nodding silently. Daikoku took him aside to one of the emptied classrooms, and motioned for Iruka to take a seat; he declined. Sighing, the senior teacher asked, "What's going on Iruka? You haven't been yourself since what happened with Naruto."

"Should I?" Iruka replied coldly, stubbornly refusing to make eye contact.

"Look, I know it's hard. You cared for the kid, and that's admirable considering." He continued, arms crossed and with a grim expression. "But whatever happens, it can't interfere with our duties as caretakers and teachers for those kids. Let the Hokage and the higher ranked shinobi deal with Naruto. You'll do your part by staying focused on your duty to the village, to the children, and their parents." Iruka, however, remained silent and despondent and seeing this Daikoku sighed. "You should take some time off. You need to get out of this funk. Let Mizuki take care of your classes and work, and you focus on getting rest, and maybe seeing a counselor."

A palm crashed down on the desks, and Iruka stood. He left the classroom without another word and did not look back. They would never understand - never realize that this, everything, was all the result of their actions, and his. How could he rest knowing that? His every step and focus as a shinobi of Konoha should be to recover Naruto by any means necessary. Because it was his failure, and it was one he desired nothing more than to change. He could never sit by and do nothing. If he were to earn Naruto's forgiveness, it would not be by resting and talking with a therapist or taking any counsel. It would be by doing everything he could to be of use in the search for and inevitable recovery of Naruto.

If he could be forgiven at all.

It dawned on him that Naruto might not want to return. What if the actions of his village had so hurt him that he decided wherever he now found himself was a better place? What if they found him and he resisted coming home? Could Iruka convince him otherwise? Would he even if he could?

He stormed out of the academy and ignored the odd stares and glances of his colleagues and his students. By then dark and bitter stormclouds had gathered and formed a thick blanket in the sky, and a harsh, cold wind stung his cheeks. It threatened to rain, and there roared the sound of thunder off distantly. Presently he decided to go home for the evening, and in the morning he would see the Hokage and demand he be allowed to join the search for Naruto. If Daikoku was good for anything, it was that he'd given Iruka free reign to leave the academy without notice. He would have to thank Mizuki for taking over for him, should he return. With a new found determination, even drive by his anger for the villagers as it was, Iruka felt more inclined to act and less to weep. He would finally do something, as he should have done the day after Naruto was kidnapped and stolen from them.

Iruka wasn't sure what had drawn him to Ichiraku Ramen on his way home, but whatever it was he soon found himself standing outside the curtain. He entered the brightly lit storefront, little more than a large booth with a permanent bartop and chairs, and was greeted by the fresh smell of boiling noodles and steaming shrimp and chicken and fish. It was enough to make his mouth water and for a little while forget about his plans and decisions. He took to a seat farthest from the only other customer in the shop and waited for the owner to inevitably show. Ichiraku or his daughter did not remain away from the counter for long. Soon enough, a young woman's head popped around the corner leading back to the kitchen. "Welcome to Ichiraku's, how can I-" She paused and stared at him a moment, then seemed delighted. "Oh! Hey Iruka!"

He smiled friendly, something he hadn't honestly done for some time, "Hey, Ayame," he said, "I'll take the usual."

"Sure, give me a sec'." She disappeared to the kitchen again and reappeared a little after. "Been a while, how've you been?"

"Good, busy with the academy." He lied and kept his answer short, not at all eager to bring up the real reason he hadn't been by. When you're depressed and out of sorts, a proper appetite tends to be the last thing you think about.

"Hm." Ayame hummed and had a curious glint in her eyes, as if she guessed that he wasn't completely forthcoming. Still, she left well enough alone, "Well, you should stop by more often. Just because you're busy doesn't mean you don't need some good food now and then." He wouldn't argue, preferring instead to smile pleasantly and wait for his food in silence. For the most part he was left alone, and after a little while of waiting a steaming bowl was set in front of him, and he was given bits of seasoning and a pair of chopsticks. The other patron had departed already, and Iruka was left in peace for his meal. It was a moment he enjoyed, tranquility in a time of strife. Then Ayame returned and innocently asked, "Say, do you know what happened to Naruto?"

Iruka nearly choked, "What?"

"Naruto - he's one of your students right? He used to come all the time, but I haven't seen him in a good week." He dropped the chopsticks by accident, but he had a horrified look and could not hide it in time for Ayame to grow concerned. "Did something happen?"

"Naruto used to come here?" He asked, and now that he thought about it he had seen the boy sitting and munching on a bowl of ramen on occasion.

"Yeah, he would stop by at least once a day. Usually, papa gave him a bowl on the house." She pouted then and stared hard at him. "Is Naruto okay?"

"He's, ah-" A new pain rose up again and stronger than before. His heart ached with every beat. "He's fine, busy with homework probably." Iruka faked a laugh, "I'm sure he'll turn up eventually." Ayame did not look at all convinced but decided to let the topic rest. There it was- Iruka had found the one person, or two people as it were, counting her father, that cared for Naruto more than he did now; and he lied to them and would not tell them the truth. He couldn't, Hiruzen had warned him to secrecy unless word of Naruto's abducting should become public knowledge. It was only a matter of time before they knew, to be sure, but the old man wanted to keep it hidden as long as possible. Still, the act had left a sour taste in his mouth, and he could not enjoy his meal as he'd hoped.

He left money on the counter and a bowl half empty and returned to his apartment, only a tiny and timid resolve remaining. He was broken all over again.

That night when it was cold and wet from rain, there came a knock at his door. He did not immediately answer it, though he was awake and heard it. There was a delay and then followed another few knocks, and Iruka pulled himself out of bed and walked to the door. It was difficult with the piles of trash and half-eaten foodstuffs lying on the floor. Soon he opened it and there on the other side was the Hokage. The rain fell from his hat in buckets, and he seemed almost frail in the cold, but there was no denying the strength in his eyes. "Walk with me." He said, and there was no arguing. Hiruzen waited for Iruka to grab a jacket from his closet and join him outside.

It was bitterly cold, and the rain poured all around them, though the wind was calm for the moment. The two walked for a time in silence and Iruka stared down at his feet. Finally, it happened that Iruka could no longer bear to say nothing, and spoke with a sad and broken voice, "I failed him." Then there was silence once again as they walked, the rain hiding what tears Iruka couldn't afford to shed. The Hokage led them through the village and to a stream, then across it over a bridge and down to the fields in the southern zone. There was a lake and a single tree on a clearing, and next to that were three stumps jutted from the ground. By those was a stone and granite monument, and Iruka knew it well.

"You failed him?" Hiruzen, at last, echoed Iruka's words and, standing next to the monument, traced a hand along the names engraved on it. "You know what this is."

"Yes," he replied; on the monument was an ever-expanding list of names, those who had fallen in battles past and present, and soon joined by those casualties of the future. "What does this matter? Does Naruto's name belong here?"

"No." Hiruzen's voice spoke loudly over the rain, yet with tenderness and softness of a grandfather. "No, Naruto is not to be added. Not yet, and I hope not for a long time."

"Then why are we here?"

"Because I needed to show you something." He motioned again to the stone. "Look at these names, Iruka. What do you see? Do you see merely words, as if they were just markings on a piece of paper? Let me tell you what I see - in every one of these names was a person; an individual who died fighting for Konoha and her people. Those on this monument sacrificed themselves for their families and friends and loved ones. But Iruka, it is the responsibility of every Hokage to safeguard the lives of his fellow villagers. Every name on this list was _my_ responsibility, and my failure." He paused and took a breath, his eyes closed. "Iruka, do you see Naruto's name on this monument?"

"No." Iruka grimaced.

"Naruto is still alive, Iruka. He may be lost, missing, and in terrible danger; but I believe he is still alive." He said, "I know you are in pain. You feel you have failed in your duties not only as Naruto's guardian but also as someone who understands his struggle. But you have not failed him, not as I failed your parents. It is not too late to save him yet."

He thought of his parents then; when the Kyuubi had attacked those many years ago, they had sent him away for his safety. For a long while he blamed himself for their deaths until at last he came to terms that there was nothing he could do, and they sacrificed themselves of their own free will - for him. What would they do, if they were in his position now? How would they feel and what would they say? He didn't know, and that pained him even more.

"How can we save him? We don't know where he is or who has him. Even if we did, we don't know if he'll want to come back. Do you know how _they_ treated him?" Iruka's voice turned hollow and angry as he thought of the other villagers; even on his worst days, he didn't behave towards Naruto how they did, with such hatred as if he were their worst enemy. Would Naruto want to come back to that?

Hiruzen did not answer him, not at first. He stared hard at Iruka, his grey, old eyes portraying no emotion and betraying no thought. Many a day Iruka wondered what the wizened shinobi was thinking, and often enough that question was never answered. "We must find him first before we think of what we will do or what Naruto will do. It would be foolish to plan when we do not know everything. But what if he does not wish to return? Would that be your failing?"

"I-I guess not, no." His shoulders slumped, defeated. That would become his burden and his alone, that he would have pushed the child away by his own actions. If Naruto did not want to return to Konoha, and it was a choice he was freely making of his own accord, Iruka knew he could not force him. Should that be the outcome, he would have no one to blame but himself. His only solace then would be that Naruto was in a place of his choosing, somewhere he was appreciated and cared for more than Konoha ever did. Certainly, that was better than the alternative; if he were to be killed, or forced to remain where he was never truly loved.

"Listen to me," Hiruzen turned stern, "His safety is our first and only concern, and I will not allow Danzo or the council to say otherwise. We will look for Naruto to protect him, and if he is not in any danger, we will decide what to do then. But in the meantime I cannot have you lost in a slump; of everyone, you are closest to him. Out of everyone, I want you to find him."

Iruka halted, and became confused and troubled, "Me?"

"Yes." Hiruzen confirmed, "I spoke with Daikoku. He agreed to allow you time off not only to rest but also to join the search for Naruto."

"He didn't say anything about that."

"He couldn't!" The Hokage stated, "You were still on Academy grounds and surrounded by civilians and any number of those who could learn what they shouldn't. Daikoku was very careful only to bring up Naruto's absence, and nothing more, as I instructed. Don't tell me you thought someone like him would allow you to take time off so easily!" Iruka stared at Hiruzen, of all the thoughts rushing through him now confusion being the most dominant. "Of everyone, you most of all care for Naruto as if he were your brother; while I realize this was a recent development, all the same, it holds true. You will search for Naruto with an energy and determination that no one else will; of that I am certain."

Iruka stood still with his mouth agape, a thousand words coming to mind but unable to pick a single one. He felt as though the Hokage had lifted a shadow from over his head. Determination welled up inside and lacked the anger of before, and he felt a peace that he had not had in the last week or longer. It dawned on Iruka that what he needed was not Naruto to be found - not precisely - but rather the freedom to look for him. He would not say that everything was fine or anywhere near it, yet he was glad to have a chance to fix it. One way or another, even should Naruto not wish to return to Konoha in the end, Iruka would find him. He would not let Naruto down a second time.

The rain had lessened to a drizzle and twinkling stars peeked through the clouds above, and the very edge of the moon shone bright and white like the rim of a desk lamp. Hiruzen brought a pipe from his cloak and puffed on it softly, and he watched Iruka intently. Any number of emotions had passed over his face while he contemplated Hiruzen's words, yet the old man had remained impassive as ever. How long had he planned for this? "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Hiruzen smiled, but there was also a sort of pain behind it. "I do not doubt that this mission is a dangerous one, potentially well beyond the risk generally associated with a Chunin. You will be aided by a team I have assigned, and they will protect you, yet it will be hazardous. We do not know who took Naruto, not yet, nor do we know their strength. I can think of many known individuals that would want him, and there are even more unknown to be added. This will be a top-secret assignment. No one must know of your task unless necessary. We cannot allow our people, or the world, know that Konoha has lost its Jinchuriki. To do so would be to invite our enemies to our door. After everything this village has been through in the last decade, we can't afford another war."

Iruka nodded solemnly. He was no stranger to dangerous missions; he had plenty of experience before becoming a teacher. He knew the risks, and he was not afraid. Even so, their ignorance of the enemy's power was concerning. They knew nothing, only that he was pursued by kunoichi from Takigakure, and there was no guarantee they were responsible. Taki was a suspect, and nothing more. The lack of information terrified him more than their enemies did. "Where should we start?"

"Well," the Hokage started, "You should start by meeting your team. You'll join them in my office tomorrow morning. Otherwise, it's up to you. You could locate Jiraiya and get his help, or you could investigate Takigakure. I would also add that I find it suspicious that Naruto's kidnappers would go after him the very same evening he is attacked by the kunoichi; I do not think that is a coincidence."

"You think it was planned?" But how could that be? Naruto going to the forest was a fluke! An accident perpetrated by children!

Hiruzen hummed quietly and exhaled a whiff of white smoke. "It's only a possibility, and I do not know one way or the other. Still, I think it worth considering and investigating, if all other leads fail. But there's nothing to be done for tonight. You have an early morning start tomorrow; you should go home and get what rest you can."

Iruka nodded and eagerly turned for his apartment, yet he doubted he would get any rest once he got there. His mind raced, and his heart beat like a drum in his chest. There was so much to think about, so much to do. Where would they start, and who would his team be? Where was Naruto and who had taken him? Now that he had the backing of the Hokage to go on this task, he was not so disturbed or depressed, and yet he was no less anxious, and there still were so many questions. What if the Hokage was right and the events that led up to Naruto's kidnapping were all deliberate, and if so, how would they find the culprit? Many knew what Naruto was; it was no secret. All it would take was for one civilian to hook up with a foreign power, much like an enemy army would find a traitor in a city guard. Would they interrogate every possible person until they found the answer? That was more Ibiki Morino's territory, and even he wouldn't do it gladly. There would be chaos and an endless mistrust of the Hokage for allowing it to happen. No; if there were a traitor, they would need to find them another way.

The night now made him feel uneasy; he thought that the shadows hid watchful eyes and studied him on his route home. It was not right to judge the entire village, yet Iruka could not forget that Naruto was treated the same by many, and the number of those who would happily rid of him were many. What if they had heard their conversation? No, that would have been impossible. Though he hadn't seen them, Iruka knew that wherever the Hokage was, the anbu were always close-by. They would know if there were any near who were eavesdropping. It dawned on him that Hiruzen had likely chosen that isolated spot by the monument for that very reason.

He stopped suddenly in the middle of the walkway, flanked by buildings and the quiet chirping of crickets. His heart rate spiked and his senses strained to the extreme. He'd heard something, of that he was sure, though he wasn't confident what it was; like the scuffling of feet, now silent and motionless. Was he being tailed? Iruka looked around, staring up at the rooftops, and peering at the dark alleyways. He saw nothing, but with only the pale moonlight to guide him, and even that being interrupted by drifting clouds - not to see something was even more startling. With a feeling of great dread, he raced home, now looking over his shoulder every few minutes to see if anyone followed. But he never saw anyone, not even a silhouette crossing over the corner of his eye. At long last, he made it to his door, unlocked it, and entered into the darkness of his home to safety. He turned the light on, and there was no one there, the window was closed and locked, and he was relieved. Then he looked through the peephole of his doorway, and he felt the breath get caught in his throat.

There, far across the lane on the opposing rooftop, details invisible but clearly there, was someone bowed low. The figure stared, motionless, at his doorway for many long seconds, before it finally ran away and fled his view.

He collapsed backward and sat still, breathing heavily and feeling a cold sweat over his brow. So he was being followed, after all. Iruka quickly made for his window and closed the blinds, and then he grabbed a pack from his closet and laid out many tools and weapons on his bed. He would be ready to leave first thing in the morning. Of all his weapons and tools; however, he took one kunai and hid it under his pillow. He left the light on. There would be no sleeping for tonight.

The following morning he rose quickly, his eyes bloodshot and his muscles sore. In the end, he'd spent the night tossing and turning, and he never could stop thinking about his stalker and looking at the window. Every time he expected a shadow to loom behind the curtains, but there never was. He'd remained on edge and felt that at any moment his door would be smashed open, but it never was. On the one hand, it was relieving, and yet his nerves were so on edge the entire night that he couldn't appreciate it. He was grateful when the sun finally peeked over the horizon and brought a pale orange light into his room. He tossed his bag over his shoulder, and he dawned his shinobi vest, and his pockets were packed; he was ready to go. Carefully, he creaked open the door and looked one way or the other. Once satisfied that the coast was clear, he locked the door and left his apartment behind him.

A crisp morning breeze refreshed him as he hopped from rooftop to rooftop, and the sky was clear and blue. Birds chirped pleasantly, and everything seemed calm and peaceful. It was not at all like the previous day. For him, too - Iruka felt like a different person now, even knowing that there could be someone watching him. It had been some time since he had felt a desire to leave Konoha on a mission, and he felt an energy that he never had, even once he'd decided to become a teacher at the Academy.

Even at a great distance, you could see the Hokage's Office, for miles apart, as like a tower over neighboring, quaint buildings. He knew it well, as it connected closely with the Academy, but he would never have missed it otherwise. For a village as renowned as Konoha, being the Hokage had become more a point of pride, and the first four Kage to lead them each had been very strong. There was that, and the anbu guard that guarded the Hokage's life with theirs. They did not fear assassins. He arrived soon as the doorstep of the offices and entered, and was ushered up to Hiruzen's office by the attendant at the front. The old shinobi was already there, despite it being so early; none were truly surprised. He greeted Iruka with a smile as if their grim conversation from the night before had never transpired. Three others were in the room with him. Two men and one woman were there already; of the men, one having a hideous scar across his nose and cheek and a stern look about him, and the other slumped lazily in the corner and chewed the tip of a senbon. Both of them wore the military garb of Konoha, green combat vests over dark blue clothes. The woman, however, wore a long and sandy brown coat over fitted mesh; her hair was violet, and she seemed very grumpy.

They were Raido Namiashi, Genma Shiranui, and Anko Mitarashi, respectively.

"Hm, there is one more, but he's running a tad late it seems." Hiruzen said and sighed, "Iruka, I'm sure you know these three already?" And he did; their reputations alone were enough. All three were respectable and capable shinobi, Raido and Genma having earned their place as two of the Hokage's personal guard, and Anko being the former pupil of one of the Legendary Sanin. "They will be assisting you on your mission. Let it be known now that I am officially classifying this as an S-Ranked assignment, and under no circumstances are the details of your mission to be released to the public. You are otherwise authorized to do anything necessary to locate Naruto and his kidnappers. I trust your judgment in representing Konohagakure to our neighbors. Konoha and her resources are at your disposal. Whatever you might need, you need only to ask. Any questions?"

"When's lunch?" Genma asked nonchalantly.

"No, Lord Hokage." Raido shot his partner a glance.

"We'll figure it out when we have 'em." Anko chimed in.

In spite of all their comments, Hiruzen's eyes remained fixed on Iruka. Of course; this was his mission and his team. Though they outranked him, in the end, the Hokage had assigned the task, and the team, to him. "There is one thing." Hiruzen motioned for him to continue, "Last night I was being shadowed by someone. I wasn't able to tell who it was and they fled once I got a good look at them, but there's a chance they know what we're up to already."

"Then you should locate whoever it was first of all." The Hokage advised, "Raido should have no trouble, provided you take him to where you last saw this individual. It is concerning, but I don't think it should be an emergency. Not yet. Is there anything else?"

"No, Lord Hokage." Iruka echoed Raido.

"Good. Then you're dismissed. There is one more who should be joining you, but feel free to begin your investigation immediately. He'll find you whenever he feels he should." They bowed and left the office, and Hiruzen was now alone to think. The silence would last for a few moments at best before his door opened again without a knock. A boy with raven black hair and a dark blue shirt stood in the entrance, hands hidden in his pockets. "Ah, Sasuke, good of you to stop by."

He grunted, "What was that about?", and shoved a thumb over his shoulder.

"Nothing you should concern yourself with." The old man replied, "Would you mind staying for a while so we can talk?"

* * *

 **END SCENE! The plot thickens! It took me a while to figure out how to write Iruka, and how he'd deal with Naruto being kidnapped when he'd only recently decided to actually try caring for the kid. Then I thought how Kishimoto wrote the intro to Naruto, and how hurt Iruka was by how Naruto was being treated. Sooooo I decided to go for what I've got written here. Hopefully it's semi-accurate? I dunno', writing Iruka has never been my strong point in any fan thing. xD**

 **Please feel free to leave a review with any comments, questions, or advice you might have to offer! I love hearing from you guys!**

 **Until next time!**


	9. Mystery

**Hey all! Welcome back to Naruto Retold: Lost Child Chapter 9! We're getting up there a lil' bit and not even close to being done! . But we doooo only have a couple more chapters to go before we'll be back to Naruto and the gang! So there's that! :D It's been a hectic couple of weeks, which is partly why I wasn't able to update last weekend like I wanted to (the other half being that I decided to take a short break, let the creative energies recharge and all that). But! I managed to get this one out regardless, and here we are!**

 **Review Time!**

 **chronos151 - Hah! I don't do them often, but when I do... xD Thank you though! It's good to know I'm portraying him correctly. As for Danzo and Hiruzen, that was mainly a way for me to introduce him to the story, but I won't say their meeting wasn't at least slightly important either. It'll come into play later on. ;)**

 **biginferno - Thank you!**

 **KingPlotBunny - True, the only indication of his change towards Naruto was filler, and I don't keep too much track of that (me saying that despite the very first chapter of this story being based on filler... Oh well!) It's a great question about Sasuke though! I wonder too! :P**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Thank you! This has all been a massive experiment for me since I've always struggled to properly portray negative emotions in characters, so it's good to know I'm on the right track!**

 **AReader - Thank you! I am doing the Wave Arc but I'll be doing it very differently than what was shown in Naruto's official run. Like you mentioned, Team 7 couldn't show up, because Naruto's not there to encourage them! But I've got ideas and plots and things! It should be fun! :D Hah - yeah my Tayuya is a bit mellow. I think that's partly me not wanting to go overboard with it. But she'll have her moments I promise! xD**

 **As always thank you guys sooooo much for all your feedback! I'm absolutely loving all the encouragement and hearing back from you all! ^.^**

 **I hope you enjoy the next chapter! Here we go!**

* * *

 **Chapter IX**

 **Mystery**

"They were right here!" Iruka called back to his team, and immediately Raido took to his side and knelt on the sloped rooftop, dragging a finger deliberately along the tiles. Genma and Anko stood off and kept watch, though now the day was bright and cheery and there was little that could catch them unawares. They stood directly across from Iruka's apartment, which lay vacant across the lane, and the village populace was beneath them. They paid them no mind, and the people, in turn, ignored them. In a village of shinobi, a group standing precariously over buildings was a more common sight, and not at all something disturbing or unexpected. "I couldn't see anything about them; it was too dark. But I know they were watching me from this spot."

"Hm," Raido grunted, focused as he was on the roof and presumably where the mysterious individual had stood. "Not bad. It was raining last night, whoever it was could afford to be a little sloppy and get away with it; still, not a trace." He sighed, then looked over to the other half of the roof. Something caught his eye, and he moved to inspect it, crouched low and again moved to slide a finger over something on the plated tile. Iruka joined him and bent beside him. "See this crack? Wasn't made by wear and tear; this spot here looks like it got crushed by something: likely a foot or a hand. With as slippery as it was last night, I wouldn't be surprised to learn they fell."

That couldn't be right, Iruka thought. Whoever it was that trailed him knew he and the Hokage had discussed something, since otherwise, Iruka was no one of importance at all and not worth following. Somehow, they had avoided the detection of the Anbu, and that was no small feat. To think that the same individual would stumble because of a little bit of rain under their foot was absurd. "Do you truly believe that?"

"Sure, everyone makes mistakes." Raido stood and peered over the edge. Below them was a storefront, with a collection of baskets and fruits decorating its entrance. He jumped down, and the others followed him closely. There appeared to be no damage or sign of any crash, so Raido turned and inspected the road itself, and several times he looked back up to the rooftop as if he were checking for something. Finally, he crouched low and studied a spot a little off from the building. "We're lucky it's still early morning. Not too many people have walked this road yet, and the imprint on the mud is still fresh. He landed here, not gracefully, and rolled. You can see where he recovered, there, and ran down the alleyway." Iruka followed along, but it seemed Raido was more talking to himself by then, and it was difficult to see where on the road he referred. Silently Raido followed the trail only he could see.

"Don't worry," Genma said beside Iruka, with a wry grin, "He does this a lot."

"Hell, he could just ask me, and my snakes could track him by scent." Anko grimaced, "It'll take all day with his old fashioned methods."

"Your scent was long washed away by the rain. I did check, and I would have asked if I thought it possible." There seemed to Iruka to be a touch of anger in Raido's otherwise calm voice. "Besides, as 'old fashioned' as my tracking may be, it will teach us far more than your snakes ever could of our man."

"Man?" Anko frowned.

"Man. His feet are large and heavy enough to break a tile. Not to mention he's clumsy, and you would never see that in a properly trained kunoichi." He answered.

Genma sniggered, "Sorry Anko, looks like you don't qualify as 'properly trained.'"

"Oh, shut up."

"Let's stay focused." Iruka frowned, annoyed at the lack of professionalism and urgency displayed. If these were his student's, he'd have set them all for rounds of transformation or writing ninja code on the chalkboard all evening. But these people were stronger than he, and though this was his mission and his squad, ultimately it was their own choice to aid him in his task. He was grateful to them for that. "Raido, what are the chances you'll be able to find them?"

"Could be better," The assassin admitted, grimly adding, "Longer the day is, the more likely it'll be that his tracks get covered up by other footsteps, the wind, that sort of thing. If we're lucky, we can at least get close before then, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. We might get the Aburame clan's help in the worst case. Still, there's only so much they can do without knowing what to look for."

"Why don't we get in touch with the Yamanaka's?" Genma offered, "They can pry the memory right from Iruka's brain, maybe even with more detail than he remembers."

"It was too dark to see clearly. And whoever your man was, he was wearing garments to hide his identity. Maybe even a mask, I don't know." He paused, and an idea hit him; a mask? "You don't think they're a member of Anbu, do you?"

"The Anbu? Why?" Raido asked with a frown.

"Think about it, why would someone be watching me? Me, of all people?"

"Hm," Genma grunted, and though he chewed contently on the senbon, there was a look of concern that contrasted his normally easy-going features. "Could be related to our mission. The old man mentioned he'd talked to you the other night. You think maybe one of his Anbu squad listened in and got curious?"

"Maybe," Iruka admitted though he was unsure if that was the case. They were the Hokage's elite, and they would not betray his trust or act out of line so quickly. "I can't think of anyone else who would have the knowledge and the ability. The only ones who should have known about the meeting and the mission were Lord Hokage, myself, and the Anbu who guarded him." He realized what he was theorizing was insane; the Hokage hand-picked every member of the squad that protected him at all times. That there would be a traitor among them was unheard.

"Gramps isn't going to be happy about this one," Anko commented, and they all agreed.

A silence fell over them as they followed what bread crumbs left behind as Raido could find, though it happened that as they crossed a particular road bustling with busy people, Raido finally turned to them and shrugged his shoulders. "It's gone. Anything more than this is guesswork, can't guarantee that we'll even find the right tracks in all this mess," and he gestured to all the footprints and wheel marks left behind on the road.

On Anko's insistence, they stopped in a nearby restaurant for a late breakfast. "If it's a dead-end anyway, we might as well get something to eat. Maybe we'll think of something on a full stomach," she'd said. Soon they sat around a round table sipping on tea, and a kind woman with an apron and brown hair tied into a bun brought them a collection of small morsels for them to munch on. "So, what now?" Anko was the first to speak while stuffing her cheeks with dango.

"I feel like this is a dead end.' Iruka answered, "We were lucky to be able to follow them this far, anything more than we've already discovered would be a miracle. As much as I want to find out who it is and what they want, maybe we'd be better off investigating Takigakure instead. At least there we have some information to go on."

"True," Genma nodded, "and besides, there's a chance if we leave the village your stalker-friend will follow. They can't be all that skilled if they couldn't follow you undetected; whoever it is, we can take them."

Iruka was glad they felt confident, but for his part, he wasn't so sure that was true. He shook his glass idly in his hands. Something about this whole thing felt wrong to him like they were missing something important but couldn't see it. There were too many assumptions and not enough information; too many unknown factors that they could not take into consideration. Who were they, and what did they have to do with Naruto's kidnappers, if anything? What did they want? Engrossed as he was in his thoughts, he hardly realized his comrades had moved on entirely.

"How can you even eat that stuff?" Genma asked Anko who was now thoroughly annoyed.

"This _stuff_ is the greatest sweet-tooth sating food on the face of the planet!" She replied with a frown and flailed an empty stick in front of her, and she had another shoved into her mouth.

"You're going to get fat," Raido stated flatly, though he had emptied a plate of his own.

"Yeah, well, it's worth it." She smirked and ate another dango. Iruka sat aside and stared blankly at them. How were they so easy going, even now? Time could be of the essence; Naruto's life could be in danger, and yet they were willing to take their time and wait?

"Can we stay focused?" He demanded and before he could think against it. They each turned to him, and Anko gave him a sharp eye.

"We _are_ focused," she said and pursed her lips.

"Iruka, I know you're eager to find the kid; we are too," Genma added, "Listen, sometimes when you hit a road bump it helps to distract yourself for a bit. If you can't find an answer, you could be better off looking somewhere else or trying to solve another problem until you can figure it out. Your kids at the Academy probably know that perfectly well. So maybe we're getting a little sidetracked, that's alright. Maybe an answer will hit us while we rest a bit, that's okay too. Besides, the old man said we're waiting on one more anyways - maybe they'll be able to help us?"

"I hope so." A muffled voice came from the entrance, and they all turned quickly to the one who spoke it. Kakashi stood nearby, his mask covering what must have been a smile, and he held a bundle of black under his arm. "As it is I found this, I think it might be useful, no?"

"Kakashi!" Iruka said in surprise, "You're our last member? Where did you find these?"

As the silver-haired Jonin placed the clothing on the table and took his seat, he motioned to the waitress for a drink. "Yes, well I wouldn't feel right leaving the investigation alone. He's my responsibility too. As for where I found them; give me a minute, I'll explain. But first, tell me everything you know so far." A glass of water was set in front of him, though he did not touch it for the moment, and he listened as they recalled what little they'd been able to discover. He nodded slowly, "You were right to suspect the Anbu. I found their actions during the event last week suspicious myself, and after returning to Konoha from an errand Lord Hokage sent me on, I started an investigation of my own. Most of their members gladly answered my questions. They knew of the one trailing you, and it seems they had attempted to pursue him, but he was able to slip away. That would account for some of the supposed clumsiness Raido mentioned."

"He was running." Raido murmured, "Yet did they not report it to the Hokage? He did not know when Iruka told us."

"No," he replied, "They said nothing, and they all fell silent when I asked why. It's as if they were afraid of something, but I don't know what. Lord Sarutobi had been just as surprised and concerned as I was."

"Well what about this cloak, then?" Iruka broke in, "Are you sure this belonged to the stranger? Where did you find it?"

"I am sure." Kakashi's lone eye examined the cloth, "It matched the description the Anbu gave to me perfectly, and I showed it to them for proof. The cloak is made specifically for assassins and spies. You can't see through it even if you hold it up to a light and on the inside is a thin layer of armor that keeps its wearer safe. As for where I found it; you can thank my dogs for that. I knew if the culprit were to discard them, they would be found somewhere nearby where the Anbu inevitably lost him, so I had them scour every alley, dumpster, and river around the Academy, just in case. The rest was luck, and a bit of good sniffing around." He rested a finger on his nose.

"Great, but it still rained." Anko pointed out.

"It did yes, and normally that would have dulled most of the scent if not all of it. But remember the armor on the inside." He folded the garments inside out, revealing the leather underneath. "It would not be so easy to wash a stink off, less so with the time they had. The Anbu were still in pursuit, and the one they chased needed to lose his disguise quickly. He was forced to do it on the run."

"So we should figure out who it belongs to and where he is," Genma said even as he lazily leaned back in his chair.

"Right, and I can answer one of those questions now," he said, "We'll be able to find him in his cell at the jail."

"What?!" - that was unanimous.

"Oh, did I not mention I'd already captured him?" Kakashi shrugged and closed his eye; it seemed he was smiling. "After my dogs found his cloak and got his scent, I wanted to act immediately. Didn't want to give him a chance to escape, you understand. Sorry to spoil the fun."

"Who is it?" Iruka asked urgently.

"Calm down- why don't we head on over, and you can be properly introduced to your stalker friend, hm?" He insisted, and would not answer any more of their questions, so they all agreed and off they went, after paying for their drink and food. Iruka felt impatient even as they walked the streets of Konoha and made for the jails, though it was not far at all. It wasn't so much a jail, as it was a temporary place where they could hold inmates until they transferred to a more appropriate facility depending on their crime. That was fortunate too, as for shinobi and assassins and their ilk, they were all more commonly transferred far away from the village proper to a facility in the far south. Soon they arrived at a large building, rectangular in shape, and with barred windows on its sides. A yard and a black, steel fence topped with spikes surrounded the building, and a squad or more of shinobi stood guard within its border. The gate opened for them on their approach, and a large man dressed in grey and a black overcoat and headwrap greeted them. His face was covered in scars, as if by a massive beast.

"We're here for the new arrival," Kakashi said as they shook hands.

Ibiki Morino grunted and his face set in a frown. "Follow me."

They walked through the entrance and down a short hallway that opened up into a larger greeting room, with a front desk and many chairs by the walls. Ibiki led them passed that and down another hallway that turned right, and then through an open gate and then down a lane flanked on both sides by empty cages. Once this place had been home to a horde of criminals, yet now they scarcely used it. They were escorted through there and further into a dark and secluded spot, barely lit by two torches adjacent to a wall of iron bars as tall and wide as the room allowed. On the inside was a man slumped and hidden in the dark. Ibiki smacked the barrier with a heavy hand, "You have guests."

There was a grumble from inside, and the individual shifted, and a glint from the light caught his eye. "Of course I do," said a voice, and it was one all too familiar to Iruka.

"Mizuki?" He was shocked, even disturbed. But as Mizuki emerged from the darkness and grinned at them like a madman, there was no denying that his fellow teacher and friend stared at him from the other side of the bars. "Why?" Iruka said, then turning to Kakashi, "How?"

"So many questions." Mizuki stared directly at Iruka; his eyes twitched, and his voice shuddered with a sort of rage. "I won't bother with a long-winded explanation. Naruto's gone, and you know why. Figure the rest out."

"How did you know that?" Anko asked, "That info was only available to the Hokage and a few others."

"Please - the kid goes missing, and a week later that old fool meets up with Iruka; there's a reason for that. I'm not stupid." There was malice in his voice that made Iruka shiver. Kakashi took over, seeing the young man falter, and knowing that Mizuki had been a long time friend of his and that this was very difficult.

"Do you know what they discussed?" he said, and he fixed Mizuki with a focused gaze. His stance and manner were relaxed and loose, yet his lone eye seemed to hold an intensity that would startle even the strongest man.

"No," Mizuki quickly admitted, as if he felt a strong desire to speak plainly and honestly, "I couldn't get close enough to hear anything with all the Anbu everywhere. I was _going_ to break into Iruka's house when he slept and pry the information from him directly, but they stopped me before I could."

"What did you intend to do, if you had succeeded and learned whatever it was you wanted?" Kakashi asked carefully, and Iruka realized he was avoiding every cue and word that may give Mizuki a hint that he was correct.

"I-" Mizuki started, but then he hesitated, and his confidence faded. He said no more.

"What of the cloak, who provided you with that?" Kakashi asked next, and it was then that Iruka remembered the Hokage's suspicions. Mizuki would not answer the question, but stood there defiantly and glaring at them harshly. If there was one thing they had learned, it was that Mizuki was not the conspirator that helped Naruto's kidnappers. He did not know and only wished to find information for himself. Kakashi brought them aside and away from the cage, "Well, that's all we'll learn for the moment. If we want anything more, we'll have to ask the Yamanaka for help." Then he looked at Iruka, "Ibiki is just as capable, but for your sake, we'll go with the less extreme interrogation."

"You should hurry, then," Ibiki commented, "We can only hold him here for another day at most. We'll move him to the correctional facility after."

It was a warning well appreciated. The place Ibiki spoke of rested well beyond Konoha's borders, indeed even further than the Land of Fire, more than a day of travel from the village. That was not a journey Iruka or any of them wanted to make if they didn't need to. They all left quickly, Mizuki still quietly glaring at them from within his cell; Iruka could not look him in the eyes. As they crossed the building's threshold, Kakashi offered them another piece of advice. "Inoichi Yamanaka would be our best bet. His talent is unmatched even among our best interrogators."

It was now midday, a bright and cheery sun hovering above and basking them in radiating light. The village bustled with activity from its people, and many carts and wagons were rolling down the streets and lanes. Through all the bustle and everyday conversations, here or there Iruka noticed a trend. In one such instance, it was two men, both merchants, and one said to the other, "Whatever happened to that kid who was always causing trouble?"

"Who, Naruto?" the other asked, "I haven't seen the brat. Maybe he finally got a clue and decided to stop screwing around. Hell, better yet, maybe he took off."

That wasn't good at all, Iruka thought. People were talking, meaning rumors were spreading. They needed to find Naruto quickly before someone found the truth, and time was running out. Kakashi led them to a little flower shop tucked away on the northern edge of the village; an ancient building constructed on lasting wood and stone, freshly painted in bright yellows and pinks, and an inviting entryway under a square bulletin. Yamanaka Flowers displayed in bright colors above the mantle. Iruka and Kakashi left the others as they stepped inside. The smell of pollen and nature was heavy in the small store, and buckets of dirt and seed littered the floor, and beautiful flowers lined the walls. In the back corner, there was a wooden counter, and a small girl with long blond hair and a far off, distant look in her eyes. She seemed as if in a dream, and did not immediately notice their entrance. Iruka cleared his throat noisily, and said, "Ino?"

"Huh?" She blinked, turned, and flashed the biggest smile she could. "Oh! Iruka-sensei! Welcome!" Of course, Iruka knew her well enough, she was one of his students, and so he only had to guess what she was dreaming about when he noticed the pale tint of a blush on her cheeks. She was one of many who had decided Sasuke Uchiha would be her husband.

"I'm afraid we're here on business," he attempted a smile, "Is your father in?"

"Yep, he's in the back," she moved to the door parallel to the counter, and called in, "Papa! You have guests!"

A moment later the door opened, and a tall man with blond hair as long as his daughter's emerged. "Kakashi?" He muttered, looking the one-eyed man up and down. "Don't tell me you're here for flowers?"

"Err, no," Kakashi replied, with just enough of an awkward pause that Iruka wondered if there wasn't a story there, "We need your help with something urgent. I can explain on the way."

Inoichi grabbed a thick white cloth from behind the desk and wiped his hands, then tossed it into a nearby bin. "Alright, lead the way. Ino, close up shop for me, will you?"

"Sure!" She replied and smiled, but gave Iruka a curious look as she did. Iruka knew she must have thought it odd that her teacher had anything in connection with her father, or anything urgent enough that he would close the store well before dinner. He was, after all, just their academy teacher. They would not give her an answer, and instead, they left the flower shop behind them and walked the journey back to the jails. Along the way, they filled Inoichi in on their task, albeit with some details here or there remaining unsaid (as always Kakashi was cautious to avoid mentioning Naruto specifically). In time he sighed openly and held the side of his head, and he pulled them to the side.

"I understand that there needs to be some subtlety and speed, otherwise utilizing me for the interrogation wouldn't be necessary. But I need to know everything, and I feel like you have avoided telling me the whole story. Speak plainly, Kakashi." At that, Kakashi shrugged and glanced at Iruka in defeat, and from then they told Inoichi as much as they could while out in a public place where anyone could hear. Finally, Inoichi nodded, satisfied that he knew as much as he needed. "So Mizuki stalked Iruka intending to learn the whereabouts of Naruto, and someone aided him. You need to learn who that was and why."

"That's right." Iruka confirmed, "Can you help?"

"Absolutely." Inoichi nodded and smiled, "It should be no trouble at all. I'll only need a few moments with him, and I'll have all the information you need." Iruka was glad; the experience and technique of Inoichi Yamanaka were legendary, and if he said he could succeed at something, there was a good chance he would. That was reassuring, and he was glad that Kakashi knew him personally and could convince him to assist them. While Ibiki was as well renowned as Inoichi, his methods were harsher, and though Mizuki's betrayal hurt him, he could not bring himself to wish Ibiki's method of interrogation on anyone. At best, they were cruel. At worst, they were inhumane.

At length they arrived at the outskirts of the prison yard, once more standing in front of its tall fence and gate and waiting to be let inside. Inoichi grimaced, "No matter how many times I see it, I wish it didn't exist. To think crime exists in a bastion like ours where we live in relative safety while the world burns..."

An explosion wracked the side of the building, the shockwave stunning them and knocking those nearby to off their feet. Iruka was horrified. An attack, here, in Konoha? While he stood petrified and still, the others raced forward towards the blast, and Anko shouted back and beckoned him to hurry, yet he remained. Who would so blatantly and openly damage anything in Konohagakure? Why the prison? He looked off down the street and saw that the people were running, some aided by shinobi who happened to be nearby. The fear he saw was reminiscent of the Kyuubi's attack long ago. Then he was filled with anger, and he ran to the building with his comrades.

Smoke filled the building like a dense fog; Iruka bent low as he ran down the corridors. His team was well ahead of him, but he thought they would make for Mizuki first of all, and he followed suit as quick as he could. Though the expanding flames obscured his vision and hindered his breath, that did not slow him. An alarm blared inside the building and rang in his ears, but that did not distract him. He had to reach Mizuki. When he finally caught up to his comrades, he found them gathered around a large slab of rubble, flanked debris from the wall and dimly lit by a new opening above, tarnished by soot. The cage still stood, but one wall was alight in flame, and nothing was visible within. "Help us move this!" They called to him, "Ibiki's trapped!"

He braced against the slab with his friends and strained with great effort to lift it. At first, it seemed not to move, yet on another attempt, they were able to lift it just enough to shove it aside. Ibiki groaned as he lifted himself from the ground, and though his clothes tore and his body bruised, and a trickle of blood flowed from his temple, he was not too worse for wear.

"What happened?" Raido asked urgently. Ibiki answered him by pointing towards the cell. Iruka turned quickly and stared deep into the abyss of the churning smoke, yet it was so thick and dense that he couldn't see anything at all. There was a shift, like a flourish within the dimly lit chamber.

Kakashi nodded to Inoichi, and the two approached the cage cautiously. Then, Inoichi shot a spout of water against the flame, and Kakashi exhaled a strong gust of air to remove the smoke. Steam mixed with the black fog in a whirlpool of wind, and they shielded their eyes from the relentless draft. The vortex ended, flickering flames licked at the stone walls, and a ray of sunshine penetrated the thinning veil in orange rays. Iruka stared at Kakashi and Inoichi in bewilderment. They weren't teammates, even in their youth they were in separate groups at all times; during the war, different divisions. Now, and wordlessly, they worked in such cohesion that could only have been the result of countless hours of working together. Then his gaze shifted further and into the iron bars of Mizuki's cage, where the dust settled and mingled with ashes on the floor. Did he escape? Anger welled up inside, and he rushed to the bars, but Kakashi's outstretched hand held him at bay. The one-eyed shinobi did not veer away from the chamber, and his voice was low and troubled. "Wait."

 _'Wait, for what?'_ Iruka thought with a furrow in his brow. They needed to stop Mizuki from escaping; why did Kakashi stop him?

"Focus." Kakashi instructed again, "Look carefully."

Iruka did as instructed and held firm, unsure of what he searched for in the clearing fog, but confident in Kakashi's advice that something was there. Soon shadows separated from the black soot and distinguished as objects in the shroud. He looked closer and found one appeared as a man slumped up against the wall, and the other as some figure standing over it. As light entered the room he could see more and in greater detail, and he saw to his horror that he recognized the man collapsed, body awkwardly placed and a splattering of crimson blood over his chest. A chill took over him like a shiver deep in his bones, and he trembled against his will. Though the face of the man hid in shadow, there was no mistaking the clothes he wore or the pale white hair that hung over his eyes. It was Mizuki. Iruka strained against the urge to rush forward. The man had betrayed him, eavesdropped and spied on him, conspired against him with another unknown criminal; yet he was an old childhood friend. The pain surging through Iruka's chest was great.

There was something else within the cell with Mizuki's body, however, and the slightest of motions reminded Iruka of that fact. He gazed now with no small amount of anger at the one still wrapped in darkness. The figure turned slowly. They were almost invisible even now, even as the light fell from the hole in the wall; there was however one part of them that was visible. They wore a mask; a white one with red markings drawn as the face of a snarling dragon, and with two holes for eyes that seemed filled with the very same darkness as their cloak. Wordlessly the figure dashed for the opening; he was about to escape!

There was the sound of a violent crash, and the clashing of metal and steel — the iron bars of the cage slammed to the floor in neatly cut parts. Raido had not stood idle even while Inoichi and Kakashi dealt with the flames, and he had withdrawn further into the darkness of the room and waited. More than anyone else, he was an assassin, and he was perhaps better trained to deal with enemies very quickly. He had drawn a black sword, which he called Kokuto, and when the moment was best, he used it to carve his way into Mizuki's cell. There was a dramatic clash of blades between the two as Mizuki's assassin reacted just in time, and sparks flew as their swords connected again and again within the chamber. Their spar encompassed only a few seconds, neither of the two landing a decisive blow against the other before they separated.

The rest of the group rushed against the lone individual, taking advantage of the opening Raido provided; yet of everyone, none were as prepared as Kakashi for what happened next. He saw before anyone that the mysterious individual pulled something from underneath his cloak, and he reacted accordingly and readied what hand seals he could. It all happened so quickly that Iruka didn't realize it at the time. A thick and tall wall of rock broke through the floor between them and the cloaked individual, and right as he fell out of sight, a shockwave smashed into them. The wall cracked and shuddered, but it held steady. Moments later, it finally crumbled. The other half of the chamber burned with fire, and rubble littered the ground.

Iruka was in shock, and he found it difficult to remain standing. "Wh-What happened?"

Genma grimaced, "He killed himself."

"Wanted to take us with him; the bastard." Anko added, "Everyone okay?"

"We're alright." Inoichi called from next to Ibiki, "Thanks to Kakashi."

Their eyes all turned to the masked shinobi, but he ignored them. While they had taken some time to recover, he had already moved to clear any large piece away; he searched for something. "Kakashi?" Iruka asked as he approached.

"We need to find the body. There has to be something!" He said, and Iruka was surprised at his urgency. He hesitated, but then did whatever he could to help, and the others joined. For all their efforts, however, they never found anything. Not even a trace of blood, save for what was already there from Mizuki. After a while of searching in vain, long after the others had ceased, Kakashi finally gave in and backed away from the carnage. He seemed shaken.

"What's wrong, Kakashi?" Inoichi asked, as taken back as they all were by his sudden shift in behavior.

"That mask - I recognized it. It was an old one used by one of my mentors in Anbu. But, well, let's find someplace quiet and less smoky. I'll tell you there." He was insistent on that. Iruka had learned in a short time that if Kakashi did not want to say something at a given time, he wouldn't. So they agreed to leave the prison, let the other shinobi deal with damage control, and find a safer and isolated spot where they could talk in private. Kakashi chose not to report to the Hokage immediately, which Iruka thought was odd, and instead took them to a quaint meadow just outside the village walls. There were many logs already laid out like stools in a circle, and in the center lay signs of a previously lit fire. It was there they sat, and Kakashi began, "Every newly inducted member of the Anbu get assigned to a more experienced member. Back when I started, I was under the command of one called Gecko. He was a highly respected Anbu officer back in the day. He taught me everything I needed to know about being part of the Anbu, and then some. We went on dozens of missions together. About a year after my assignment Gecko told me he had a special mission to investigate a secret organization within Konoha, that he had to accomplish alone. He disappeared, and I never heard from him again. I only learned later what that organization was. They call themselves Root."

He paused then and closed his eye as if lost in thought. The others shifted awkwardly, and Genma played with half burnt twigs by the ashes. It seemed to Iruka that they grew uncomfortable at the mention of this Root, yet he didn't know what it was at all. Was it like the Anbu, who wore masks and acted in the shadows to protect Konoha from attacks, both foreign and domestic? Was it an intelligence branch, akin to what Ibiki would inevitably be a part? "Root is," Kakashi continued, and looking at Iruka specifically, "Well, think of it like this: if the Anbu are the special forces of Konoha, Root would be the black sheep of that very same force. The Hokage can trust the Anbu to perform any task he needs them to, regardless of how far or how dangerous. But they have morals, and they have a code, and more than anything else they defend the Will of Fire to their dying breath. But, Root is different. They have no morals, and they will stop at nothing to pursue whatever objective drives them. They assassinate innocents. They collapse governments; yes, they will even start a war if required. Their only code is absolute silence in the face of interrogation. Death is preferable."

"Also, it's worth noting that they are not under the Hokage's jurisdiction. Lord Hiruzen does not control their actions as much as he doesn't control the activities of children. Instead, they are under the directive of one Danzo Shimura; council member and by far one of the most dangerous men in the world. He's fanatical in his devotion to the safeguarding of Konohagakure and obsessed with ensuring it becomes the most powerful nation in the world. He approached me directly once and recruited me into their rank. The events surrounding that period are complicated, but in the end, I spied on Root for Lord Hiruzen. Never once did I meet or see Gecko in that time." A cold breeze flew through the trees and cooled them, yet the air seemed heavy and dark. Iruka shivered.

"You believe the one we saw was this Gecko?" Anko asked as she fiddled with a loose twig on the log.

He nodded, "Yes. The mask that man wore was the very same one my old mentor wore back then. It is possible that someone found it and took it, or that there was a copy made, but that's a hard coincidence to believe, and Gecko would sooner let his mask break than allow someone else to wear it. The Anbu take pride in their titles. It becomes an identity to them, in place of anything else, and their masks may as well become their face." He paused again and looked down at his feet, "My concern now is whatever he's still doing with that group, and why would he kill Mizuki?"

"Well, Kakashi, it sounds like you've got a bit of work to do." Inoichi suddenly said, standing. "I'm afraid I can't help too much. Root and deception have never been my business. But if you ever need my help getting information from anyone unwilling, all you need is ask."

"The Interrogation Force is at your disposal," Ibiki added.

"Thank you. But," Kakashi gave Iruka a knowing look, "This is Iruka's mission. Ultimately, it's a lead, and nothing more. Besides, I wouldn't even know where to start asides for poking at Root, and that's a dangerous thing to do."

The respect Kakashi showed him just then put Iruka at a loss. Even counting Inoichi, Kakashi Hatake had the most experience of the entire group sat around that abandoned camp. He had the rank, the skill, and the intellect that all of them could only wish for; not to undersell any of them. Iruka felt like an ant among giants. He was only a Chunin! And yet-

Inoichi laughed, "Ah, I see. Then I'll retract that and offer my aid to you, Iruka. If ever you need anything, just let me know." Iruka smiled and shook his hand, but it didn't escape him that Ibiki had neglected to do the same. Instead, he grunted and walked away. Was he bothered by something, Iruka wondered, or was he just a man of few words? The group bade Inoichi farewell, and thanked him for his help, though in reality, he'd helped very little. Still, in a way, he was a part of their mission now albeit not held to it, and he knew about as much as they did.

After he had departed, they took a short while to rest. It was now falling into the late afternoon, and over the treetop horizon to the east, the sky faded to a darker blue. The leaves shifted and rustled with the coming and going of a pleasant breeze, and the birds chirped and frolicked in the air. In any other time it would have been perfect for a nap there in the meadow, but not now. "Well, Iruka, what do you think?" Genma asked as he chewed on his senbon.

"Is there any way we can find more information about Root?" He asked, more pointedly to Kakashi.

"Not more than I've already told you. The Hokage knows about as much as I do, and not much more. The only way to know what they're up to is to be a member, and that's difficult to do. Danzo hates me as it is." The news was discouraging, but not unexpected. Iruka felt that if there were anything more Kakashi could have told them, he would have, at least if it was necessary to the task at hand.

"Okay- So Naruto left Konoha one week ago. Somehow Mizuki figured out that something was wrong, and he probably grew suspicious when he saw my demeanor change." It was never something he intended, but it was inevitable that his fellow teachers and friends, and even his students, noticed his depression. "So he started watching me, thinking that I knew something. We know he got help from somebody-"

"Root, more than likely," Anko interjected.

"-Root, right, but we don't know for sure, and someone assassinated Mizuki before we could find out. We don't know why they would aid him, why they would reveal themselves to him, or why they would kill him immediately after he got caught. We also don't know if they're in the dark about Naruto or not. There's-There's too many questions and not enough time." He struggled against creeping despair rising in his chest and felt once more that he would throw his hands in the air and give up altogether.

"Well, why don't we focus on what we can," Genma said as he stared up at the sky. "We're getting all wrapped up in this mystery with the Root and Mizuki and everything else, and that'll distract us. Why don't we worry about what we can handle; finding Naruto."

"He's right," Anko added, though her face was sour and she looked off where Ibiki had skulked away. "It's something we can look into, sure, but it ain't our job. Gramps tasked us with figuring out where the shrimp is and bringing him back if we can." Kakashi and Raido were silent, and they waited patiently on Iruka's decision. But he wasn't at all sure he would have one. Indeed Genma and Anko were right that their mission was the locating and recovering of Naruto Uzumaki, but still, he didn't know where he should go. The identity of his kidnappers was still unknown, and now the only suspects were Takigakure and this Root. But the latter was untouchable at present, and the former was so far away and openly hostile to Konoha. But, if they were guilty of the crime and Naruto was there, Iruka decided they would do well to make the journey.

"We'll go to Taki." He said, looking at his team with determination.

"Easier said than done. Takigakure is renowned as isolationist. They turn every known foreign shinobi away, even the ones who have defected. There's no trade, no diplomats- We'll be lucky to get close." Raido was nothing if not matter-of-fact in his speech. But he was right, and Iruka would not argue that. Instead, he thought of a different tact they might take.

"We could sneak in," He replied, "Pretend we're travelers or refugees from some village."

"Unfortunately, that won't work for me; I'm too well known," Kakashi gave a half smile, "But it should go well enough for you four."

Iruka nodded; the loss of Kakashi for the mission would be severe, to be sure, but he was confident in the others. They would not let him down.

That was all they would discuss, for the day was growing long and an evening breeze had drifted over the countryside and chilled the forest around them. The sun sank low towards the horizon and painted the soft sky shades of pink and lavender. They wished each other goodnight and went off to their own homes, and Kakashi promised Iruka that he would personally see to it that an Anbu squad be assigned to guard him as he slept. The thought was a touch unnerving, yet it would be safer to have them than not. That was not however what occupied Iruka's mind even as he eventually lay tossing and turning in his bed. The road to Taki was long, and even once there he felt they would remain for many months. He thought, what if Naruto was there and they found him? How would they retrieve him, and would he want to go? Would he even be alive?

He laid there for a long while thinking and considering before finally, in the darkness and calm of the night, he drifted off to a restless slumber.

* * *

 **End scene! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I'm hoping to up the action a bit in the coming chapters so worry not! Tension is on the menu! Also a note, speaking of the next update, I've got a SUPER busy schedule these next few weeks. I'll be doing my best to write as much as possible, and I promise to get you guys an update AT THE LATEST by the end of the month. Please be patient with me senpai! T-T**

 **Don't forget to leave a review with any questions, thoughts, or advice you might have! I absolutely love hearing from you all and the feedback makes writing this more than worth it!**

 **See ya'll next time!**


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